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8TV (Malaysian TV network)

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Not to be confused with MediaCorp Channel 8.
8TV
CountryMalaysia
Ownership
OwnerMedia Prima Berhad
Key peopleAhmad Izham Omar
History
Former namesMetroVision Channel 8
(1 July 1995-1 November 1999)
Links
Websitewww.8tv.com.my

8TV (Chinese: 八度空间; pinyin: Bādù Kōngjiān; literal: 8th dimension) is a private Malaysian Chinese television station, previously known as MetroVision Channel 8. Metrovision closed on 1 November 1999. 8TV was officially launched on Thursday, 8 January 2004 as 8TV after being acquired by Media Prima Berhad.

8TV is a sister channel of TV3, ntv7 and TV9. It currently shares facilities with TV3 at its headquarters at Sri Pentas, Bandar Utama.

8TV currently broadcasts under UHF (Ultra High Frequency). In the Klang Valley the UHF channel is 27. 8TV is also available over Astro on Channel 708. Its daily broadcasting hours are from 07:00 am until 02:00 am the next day.

History

MetroVision Channel 8

8TV was formerly known as MetroVision Channel 8 or TV4. It was managed by City Television Sdn Bhd and broadcasts from Shah Alam. Initially the broadcast area was only limited to Klang Valley, Seremban and parts of Malacca only, but later expanded to Kedah and Johor, thus allowing Singaporean viewers to access it. Viewers were required to install fish-bone antennas in order to receive this channel.[2]

The channel targets Malay and English-speaking viewers; Chinese and Hong Kong dramas are also shown in this channel as well.

Unfortunately, in January 1996, the Media Prima-owned Mega TV, Malaysia's first pay-TV service was launched and it quickly gained many subscribers. Soon after, Astro was launched in mid-1996 and this proved to be one of the fatal blows to Metrovision.

But the commencement of broadcasts of ntv7 in July 1998 did really sound the death knell for Metrovision. ntv7 was said to have better sound and picture quality than Metrovision, and ntv7 was also reported to have longer broadcast hours compared to Metrovision.

Metrovision was incurring heavy debts in the closing months of 1998 and early 1999. Nevertheless, Metrovision was finally wound up on 1 November 199], 04:00 local time.

8TV

Prior to closure, the first hour of Berita Perdana (now known as Berita Nasional), RTM TV1's prime time news programme at 20:00 local time tonight was broadcast for several months before the channel ceased transmission. It was originally planned for relaunch on Tuesday, 1 February 2000 after its digitalisation but it was not until Thursday, 8 January 2004. Media Prima Berhad bought City Television Sdn Bhd where they restructured it and relaunched as 8TV.

Features

8TV targets the younger block of viewers with a "one station, two channels" concept whereby the first session of the broadcasts are the Chinese channel, while the second session of the broadcasts is mostly English-language programmes. A third part of the broadcast features interactive SMS games, with some music videos in English, Malay and Chinese.

It has a popular slogan, "We're different," and has partially attempted to show this by offering a large variety of popular series and movies that focuses on youth, urban and Chinese as the targeted audiences.

Parent company

Main article: Media Prima Berhad

8TV, together with three other channels, TV3, ntv7 and TV9, local English daily the New Straits Times and Malay daily Berita Harian form the largest media group in Malaysia, collectively known as Media Prima. It is currently headed by Ahmad Izham Omar. Its Director of Network Operations is Paul Moss, a recording executive who is also a judge on One in a Million and the now-cancelled Malaysian Idol. It has owned by Kumho Asiana Group, a South Korean company.

Events

  • 8TV Mall Tour (2006) - in selected major shopping malls in Malaysia.
  • 8TV Youth Tour (2007) - in selected higher learning institutions in Malaysia.

Mascot

In early 2006, 8TV introduced its mascot, a toddler named "Pow Pow" who graces some of 8TV's promo ads as well as the main page of its official website. He was originally called simply the "8TV baby" until a name search contest was held to look for a suitable proper name, and eventually the name "Pow Pow" was selected. Pow Pow is always seen wearing a crimson collared shirt with the 8TV logo on its front, decorated by an orange cape with the 8TV logo again on it, as well as a diaper. Sometimes he is seen sporting an electric guitar. He bears an uncanny resemblance of the character Jack-Jack from Disney/Pixar's the Incredibles.

Pow Pow was potentially not the first mascot used by 8TV. During 8TV's early months, it featured a nerd named "Gary the IT Guy" and his fellow fictional 8TV workforce for its promotional activities, who functioned similarly in the form of a mascot for the then-new station.

Programmes

Notable programmes by 8TV include:

  • Ho Chak! (好吃) (Hokkien for 'very delicious', a local programme that promotes mostly various local foods that can be found in Malaysia)
  • 8TV Mandarin News (八度空间华语新闻) (8TV is currently the only private free-to-air channel that broadcasts news solely in Mandarin, including during primetime hours)
  • 8 E-News (八八六十事) (a programme on latest updates and gossips in the entertainment industry, particularly the Chinese entertainment scene)
  • Go Travel (a programme on travel destinations around the world in Mandarin)
  • Project Superstar (绝对Superstar) (a Chinese reality singing talent search competition, which is franchised from the original version in Singapore)
  • I Wanna Be A Model (我要做 Model) (a Chinese reality model search competition, supposedly modelled after Tyra Banks' America's Next Top Model)
  • Summer Live Concert (夏日8°演唱会) (an annual live concert involving artistes from the Chinese entertainment industry, notably from Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, since 2003)
  • Goodnight DJ (A short local supernatural drama series) Goodnight DJ season 2 is currently airing on Sundays 8.30pm to 9.30pm.

Controversies

The station's 2011 Ramadan public service announcements (PSA) have sparked outrage among the online community for its allegedly racist content. All three ads, which run for 30 seconds each, show the same Chinese girl acting “inappropriately”, with three different scenarios, at a Ramadan bazaar. All of it were widely circulated in social networking sites by users who said the announcements left a bad taste in the mouth which left the station with no choice but to remove it after a few hours. [3]

See also

References

Metrovision first day schedule, 1 July 1995 New Straits Times

  1. ^ http://www.mediaprima.com.my/investorcenter/cp/2012/AGM%20presentation%20v.10%20FINAL%20for%20upload.pdf
  2. ^ "MetroVision Tune in guide". Archived from the original on December 6, 1998.
  3. ^ "TV station withdraws 'racist' Ramadan ads". Kuala Lumpur: The Star Online. August 3, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2011.

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