| Channel U | |
| Picture Format: | 1080i HDTV |
| Country: | Singapore |
| Area: | Singapore Malaysia (Johor) Indonesia (Riau Islands) |
| Language: | Chinese dialects (e.g. Mandarin) Korean Thai English (subtitles) |
| Headquarters: | Mediacorp Campus, 1 Stars Avenue, Singapore 138507 |
| Owner: | Mediacorp |
| Website: | Official Site |
| Terr Serv 1: | Digital terrestrial television |
| Terr Chan 1: | UHF CH 33 570MHz DVB-T2 Channel 7 (HD) |
| Online Serv 1: | meWATCH |
| Online Chan 1: | Available on meWATCH website or mobile app (Singapore only) |
Channel U (marketed as, formerly named) is a Mandarin-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp.
The channel was first established in 2001 by SPH MediaWorks—a subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings—as one of two new FTA channels launched by the company (alongside the English-language TVWorks, later renamed Channel i). While it eventually became competitive with MediaCorp's Channel 8 in viewership, Channel i was struggling to compete with MediaCorp's Channel 5, and the company operated at a loss.
In 2004, SPH announced an agreement to divest its television stations and free newspaper business to MediaCorp in exchange for a stake in its television and publishing businesses. As a result, MediaCorp took over Channel U on 1 January 2005, positioning it as a counterpart to Channel 8 targeting a youth and young adult audience.
At the trade launch of SPH MediaWorks on 1 November 2000, SPH revealed the names and logos of its two channels, with the Chinese channel being named Channel U.[1] MediaWorks was on track to launch the channel and its English counterpart TVWorks by June 2001.[2]
The channel started broadcasting on 6 May 2001 with a $3 million launch party,[3] but despite the blaze of publicity the channel received in the two weeks between gaining its licence and starting broadcasts, as well as the launch broadcast that followed, the ratings quickly fell behind expectations, falling from 12% on launch night to 4.7% on its second night; whereas the main news on Channel 8 scored 16.3% and its equivalent on Channel U, 3.9%. Channel 8's vice president Khiew Voon Khang said that the ratings slide looked "like a street bump than Mount Everest".[4]
Facing the possibility of low ratings, Channel U moved the news from 9:30pm to 10pm, competing against Channel 8's bulletin, and put the 8:30pm drama half an hour later.[5]
From June 2001, the channel's daily lineup extended from the initial 10 hours to 14.[6] In October, the channel surpassed Channel 8 in primetime ratings (7-11pm) for the first time (19%), whereas in all-day ratings it became the second most-watched channel in Singapore, behind Channel 8.[7] [8] The December revamp of Channel U's news bulletins increased its viewership base further.[9]
Despite these successes, SPH's channels operated as a loss, with Channel i in particular struggling in competing with MediaCorp's Channel 5 for viewership and the advertising market. In September 2004, SPH MediaWorks announced an agreement to divest its television stations and free newspaper businesses to MediaCorp, in exchange for a stake of parts of MediaCorp's television and publishing businesses.[10] [11] [12] [13] While Channel i would shut down, MediaCorp would take over Channel U on 1 January 2005, becoming a sister channel to its former competitor.[14] As part of the integration, Channel 8 also slightly changed its name in Chinese from Dì bā bō dào () to Bā píndào to match that of Channel U, which a spokesperson explained was a reflection of MediaWorks' integration into MediaCorp TV.[15]
The channel's programming consists of Chinese-language music and entertainment produced locally and imported from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Thailand as well as Korean language series provided by KBS, MBC and SBS (available in dual sound and subtitles). Channel U's programming is available subtitled in local languages on optional subtitle tracks and dual-language option (Mandarin and Korean/Thai) is available for Korean language and Thai language programs provided by One 31, Channel 3 Thailand (available in dual sound and subtitles) and GMM 25 available in subtitles).
Channel U signs on at 3:00 p.m SGT on weekdays and at 10:00 a.m SGT on weekends and holidays, signing off at 1:00 a.m SGT on weekdays and 2:30 a.m SGT on weekends and holidays. Ads are shown during the overnight and morning hours until sign-on.