Singapore – MediaCorp will launch dedicated TV channels, Vasantham in Indian languages and Central for children, making MediaCorp TV’s free-to-air offerings one of the largest in Asia. The new channels are being expanded from the current Vasantham Central and Kids Central segments on MediaCorp’s Arts Central channel. Targeting to serve the growing Indian community in Singapore, Vasantham, is slated to debut Q4, 2008 to provide family-focused entertainment including locally produced long-form serials, reality-based and talk shows, as well as Tamil news and current affairs programmes. Programming in Indian languages will increase from the current 29 to 65 hours each week while non-Tamil language shows will also be included. Central will be a children-focused English-language channel offering programmes for pre-schoolers and their caregivers in the morning, primary school students in the afternoon, and teenagers and young adults in the evening. Central will then provide lifestyle programmes, local productions, documentaries, arts performances and anime for more mature audiences in the evening. Other MediaCorp TV channels including English GE channel, Channel 5; Chinese channels Channel 8 and Channel U; pan-regional news channel Channel NewsAsia, as well as Malay channel Suria are also strengthening their program offerings. Channel 5 will expand locally-produced content by introducing long-form dramas and reality shows. The telecast of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will also be available in high definition on HD5. Channel 5 will also launch its Mobile 5 mobile TV service. Channel 8 will be offering mass appeal, Singapore-made content with multi-generational appeal, including Love Blossoms, Little Nonya, Record Breakers and Idol Mum. Channel U, targetting young audiences and working adults, will offer Campus Superstar 3, SuperBand 2, Destination: Most Wanted, Find Me a Singaporean 2, and U Are The One. Channel U is also looking to acquire programmes from Asia. Channel NewsAsia will focus on audience interactivity by moving into citizen journalism including video clips and first hand accounts via mobile phones or video recorders. The channel is also using programmes like BlogTV to encourage viewers to post comments live on air. Suria will include local productions with more interactive elements, and increase offerings of locally-produced dramas including Mandai United, Satu Jam and CMYK which feature local talents. Lucas Chow, CEO, MediaCorp said, “Our TV channels dominate audiences in Singapore, accounting for 70% of total viewing in Singapore… Some of the new content will come via our strategic partnerships in the region such as Indonesia, Vietnam and China, where we have invested in various media companies.”