TCS International

In June 1995 TCS announced the launch of an all-Chinese satellite television network, the first of its kind based in Singapore, seeking an audience in Hong Kong, China, the Philippines, Korea, Australia and other countries. The mix of programmes was set to include old and new TCS drama serials, TCS telemovies, variety shows, documentaries and current affairs programmes, including news.

In an initial phase, the channel would operate an 18-hour schedule, before increasing to a 24-hour schedule.^[1] Speaking to The Straits Times, Robert Chua, owner of the "no sex, no violence and no news" channel China Entertainment Television, said weeks ahead of TCSI's launch that TCS's output lacked his channel's cross-border appeal. At the time, the channel was announced to carry its signal on the PanAmSat-2 satellite, while CETV used Apstar-2.^[2]

On October 1, 1995, the channel started broadcasting, the second Singaporean satellite television channel, following Singapore International Television on 1 January 1994, a government-funded satellite television channel that carried programmes provided by TCS. TCSI was the beginning of an internationalisation plan, to be followed by an English-language counterpart in late 1996.^[3]

Despite claiming an audience of two million households in 1996, the channel closed in 2000 without warning. Mediacorp instead opted to use Channel NewsAsia as its key international service.^[4]

• Singapore International Television
• Channel 8i