Singapore – Singapore’s cable TV operator StarHub is launching 24-hour Mandarin language news channel TVBS-News on StarHub Digital Cable’s Chinese Entertainment Basic Group at no extra charge on March 3, 2008. TVBS-News is the first Mandarin news channel to be available on the service’s basic tier. TVBS-News channel is based in Taiwan and offers current affairs programming and coverage on Taiwanese, regional and global news through its correspondents and partnerships with broadcasters worldwide. News programmes cater to both Taiwanese and international audiences and are anchored by Fang Nien-Hwa, Lee Si-Duan, Zhan Yi-Yi, and Zhan Qing Ling. Speaking at the press conference in Singapore, Young Ming, general manager of TVBS-News, highlighted that international and Taiwanese news including coverage of the recent presidential election in Taiwan, news magazine shows, and the public opinion poll feature as popular programming on TVBS-News. He also noted that the channel will debut a 3-episode documentary series on Singapore, titled Moving Forward: Singapore, to coincide with the channel’s debut in the country. TVBS-News adds to StarHub Digital Cable’s TVB offerings which include TVBJ, TVB Xing He, TVB Classic, TVBS-Asia and TVB8. In addition, TVB dramas are available on StarHub’s self-packaged channel VV-Drama channel as well as on the Demand TV and ;Play Video services. TVBS-News also adds to E City, STAR Chinese and TVB8 channels in the Entertainment Basic Group. Besides Singapore, TVBS-News is available in Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong, Macau, and the US. The launch of TVBS-News is the latest collaboration in the 16-year partnership between StarHub and TVB, and follows the partners’ efforts in bringing TVB artistes to Singapore in January 2008 to promote upcoming drama series to air on StarHub Digital Cable’s TVBJ channel.