Main timeline
In the main gallery, visitors can expect exhibits on the main timeline of how Singapore television has developed – the milestones of Singapore television, the important "firsts" that left lasting impressions in the hearts of Singaporeans in the last five decades. The main timeline serves as the core of the museum, from which various “subsidiary” timelines branch out. Not only will the main timeline showcase the memorable milestones to the public, it will also subtly portray the evolution of and advancement in the medium through which television is being delivered to the masses until now. This will show the visitors the
immense progress that Singapore TV has gained on these two dimensions over the past 50 years. More on the milestones, and the development of medium, will be elaborated with the description of each exhibit.
immense progress that Singapore TV has gained on these two dimensions over the past 50 years. More on the milestones, and the development of medium, will be elaborated with the description of each exhibit.
1974: First "Live" Colour Telecast – 1974 FIFA World Cup Finals
The 1974 FIFA World Cup Finals between West Germany and the Netherlands, telecasted on 7 July 1974, at 1600h (Central European Time, 2200h in Singapore on the same day), was significant to the Singaporean public at that time as it was the first "live" colour telecast on television ever in Singapore.
At this exhibit, there will be two television box sets – one would be screening the various highlights of that historical match in its original low-definition and grainy quality, the other would also be screening the same highlights, but in the improved, high-definition quality that today's television possesses. This allows visitors to see the drastic contrast between the quality of television images, and how much colour transmission has improved since then.
The old television box sets are the oldest television sets we have here in Singapore, and they will serve to be the baseline from which visitors can witness the development in the medium of television in the main gallery.
The 1974 FIFA World Cup Finals between West Germany and the Netherlands, telecasted on 7 July 1974, at 1600h (Central European Time, 2200h in Singapore on the same day), was significant to the Singaporean public at that time as it was the first "live" colour telecast on television ever in Singapore.
At this exhibit, there will be two television box sets – one would be screening the various highlights of that historical match in its original low-definition and grainy quality, the other would also be screening the same highlights, but in the improved, high-definition quality that today's television possesses. This allows visitors to see the drastic contrast between the quality of television images, and how much colour transmission has improved since then.
The old television box sets are the oldest television sets we have here in Singapore, and they will serve to be the baseline from which visitors can witness the development in the medium of television in the main gallery.
1994: First breakfast programme – AM Singapore
Channel 5 started its first breakfast programme, AM Singapore, on 29 August 1994. It was the first channel to have such a programme in Singapore – the audience got news updates, live discussions on current affairs, and they could call in to share their two cents’ worth too. AM Singapore later became AM Live! on 1 August 2011, and has been showing on Channel News Asia ever since.
Shortly after, Channel 8 had its very own breakfast programme, in Mandarin, Good Morning Singapore, in March 1995, which is still running until now, starting at 7am every weekday morning.
There will be two television sets at this exhibit. These television sets will show montages of the different openings of both AM Singapore and Good Morning Singapore over the years (AM Singapore on one television set, and Good Morning Singapore on another). Besides the montages, the visitors will get to relive the more memorable moments on either show as well.
Channel 5 started its first breakfast programme, AM Singapore, on 29 August 1994. It was the first channel to have such a programme in Singapore – the audience got news updates, live discussions on current affairs, and they could call in to share their two cents’ worth too. AM Singapore later became AM Live! on 1 August 2011, and has been showing on Channel News Asia ever since.
Shortly after, Channel 8 had its very own breakfast programme, in Mandarin, Good Morning Singapore, in March 1995, which is still running until now, starting at 7am every weekday morning.
There will be two television sets at this exhibit. These television sets will show montages of the different openings of both AM Singapore and Good Morning Singapore over the years (AM Singapore on one television set, and Good Morning Singapore on another). Besides the montages, the visitors will get to relive the more memorable moments on either show as well.
1999: First regional news channel – Channel News Asia
On 1 March 1999, Channel News Asia (CNA) was launched by Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) (now Mediacorp TV). This channel mainly screens infotainment shows on regional and global current affairs or news bulletins. Unlike other news channels, CNA does not do English voice-overs for interviews conducted with non-English-speaking interviewees. Instead, it retains the original audio and inserts English subtitles to allow all audience to understand, and maintain the integrity of the interviews. CNA was later launched internationally on 12 February 2001.
For this exhibit, the team wishes to provide a hands-on experience to the visitors. Actual filming and reporting equipment will be set up in the way they would normally appear in a news reporting studio. Visitors will get to try their hands at the different equipment - one may get a shot at being the news anchor, to read the news as they're presented in the screen, one may try out the filming equipment, and one may even be controlling the volume at which the "anchor's" voice is being projected. There will be a flat screen television set whereby visitors would be able to view the "final product".
On 1 March 1999, Channel News Asia (CNA) was launched by Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) (now Mediacorp TV). This channel mainly screens infotainment shows on regional and global current affairs or news bulletins. Unlike other news channels, CNA does not do English voice-overs for interviews conducted with non-English-speaking interviewees. Instead, it retains the original audio and inserts English subtitles to allow all audience to understand, and maintain the integrity of the interviews. CNA was later launched internationally on 12 February 2001.
For this exhibit, the team wishes to provide a hands-on experience to the visitors. Actual filming and reporting equipment will be set up in the way they would normally appear in a news reporting studio. Visitors will get to try their hands at the different equipment - one may get a shot at being the news anchor, to read the news as they're presented in the screen, one may try out the filming equipment, and one may even be controlling the volume at which the "anchor's" voice is being projected. There will be a flat screen television set whereby visitors would be able to view the "final product".
2001: First channel to use Digital Video Broadcast technology – TVMobile
On 14 February 2001, TVMobile, a joint collaboration between Mediacorp TV and SBS Transit (one of Singapore’s two public transport operators), was launched. TVMobile showed television programmes that were mainly re-runs of drama serials or sitcoms, or repeat telecasts of variety shows. Simulcasts of news updates from Channel News Asia were screened too. These programmes were mainly in English and Mandarin, and more recently in Malay and Tamil as well. Along with TVMobile, there was also a radio channel, 89.3MHz, which provided an audio simulcast to commuters. TVMobile was subsequently discontinued in 1 January 2010, with Mediacorp TV citing issues with viability as one of the reasons (Singapore Business Review, 2009).
On 14 February 2001, TVMobile, a joint collaboration between Mediacorp TV and SBS Transit (one of Singapore’s two public transport operators), was launched. TVMobile showed television programmes that were mainly re-runs of drama serials or sitcoms, or repeat telecasts of variety shows. Simulcasts of news updates from Channel News Asia were screened too. These programmes were mainly in English and Mandarin, and more recently in Malay and Tamil as well. Along with TVMobile, there was also a radio channel, 89.3MHz, which provided an audio simulcast to commuters. TVMobile was subsequently discontinued in 1 January 2010, with Mediacorp TV citing issues with viability as one of the reasons (Singapore Business Review, 2009).
The original TVMobile sets will be available at this exhibit – visitors will get to watch short re-runs of those shows that were broadcasted on TVMobile between 2001 and 2010.
Radio sets tuned to 89.3MHz will also be placed next to the TVMobile sets, so that visitors may use the provided headphones to tune in to the audio simulcast of the shows running on TVMobile.
2010: First free video-on-demand online platform – xinmsn
On March 1, 2010, Mediacorp announced the launch of xinmsn.com, which is the nation’s first free video-on-demand online service which was born out of its older counterpart, the now-defunct MOBTV, which was a subscription-based video-on-demand service. xinmsn allows viewers to catch up on missed episodes of their favourite drama serials on the go, be more engaged in the reality television programmes through voting for their favourite contestants, know more about their favourite celebrities, and even more.
This final exhibit of the main gallery would have several sets of iPads and iPad minis on display. xinmsn.com will be loaded on these gadgets, providing visitors with the opportunities to experience the different aspects of the online platform themselves.
On March 1, 2010, Mediacorp announced the launch of xinmsn.com, which is the nation’s first free video-on-demand online service which was born out of its older counterpart, the now-defunct MOBTV, which was a subscription-based video-on-demand service. xinmsn allows viewers to catch up on missed episodes of their favourite drama serials on the go, be more engaged in the reality television programmes through voting for their favourite contestants, know more about their favourite celebrities, and even more.
This final exhibit of the main gallery would have several sets of iPads and iPad minis on display. xinmsn.com will be loaded on these gadgets, providing visitors with the opportunities to experience the different aspects of the online platform themselves.
References
Information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadcasting_in_Singapore
1974 World Cup Finals
Image from http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/2011/08/13/from-black-white-to-colour/
Video clip from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2AY6kOZbAk
Breakfast programmes
TV image from http://www.vivekenterprises.net/televisions.htm
AM Singapore image (screenshot) from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s03nDLVysF8
AM Live! image from http://www.greenaconsultants. com/media.htm
Good Morning Singapore image from http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/radio/938live/singaporenews.aspx?cp-documentid=3980947
Channel News Asia
Information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_NewsAsia
Studio set-up image from http://www.quiltingismytherapy.com/2012/09/07/my-three-minutes-of-fame/
TVMobile
Information from http://sbr.com.sg/media-marketing/news/mediacorp-dumps-tvmobile-service
TVMobile image from http://keropokman.blogspot.sg/2007_12_01_archive.html
xinmsn
Information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOBTV
Information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadcasting_in_Singapore
1974 World Cup Finals
Image from http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/2011/08/13/from-black-white-to-colour/
Video clip from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2AY6kOZbAk
Breakfast programmes
TV image from http://www.vivekenterprises.net/televisions.htm
AM Singapore image (screenshot) from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s03nDLVysF8
AM Live! image from http://www.greenaconsultants. com/media.htm
Good Morning Singapore image from http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/radio/938live/singaporenews.aspx?cp-documentid=3980947
Channel News Asia
Information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_NewsAsia
Studio set-up image from http://www.quiltingismytherapy.com/2012/09/07/my-three-minutes-of-fame/
TVMobile
Information from http://sbr.com.sg/media-marketing/news/mediacorp-dumps-tvmobile-service
TVMobile image from http://keropokman.blogspot.sg/2007_12_01_archive.html
xinmsn
Information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOBTV