TVMobile
Mediacorp TV TVMobile (Chinese: 流动电视), was a subsidiary of Mediacorp, was the world's first channel to use Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) technology to deliver television entertainment and news programmes to people in public places.
| Mediacorp TV TVMobile | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Launched | 14 February 2001 |
| Closed | 1 January 2010 |
| Network | Mediacorp TV |
| Owned by | Mediacorp |
| Picture format | 576i(SDTV) MPEG-2 |
| Slogan | It's anywhere |
| Country | Singapore |
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | Caldecott Broadcast Centre |
| Sister channel(s) | Channel 5 Channel 8 Channel U Suria |
| Website | Official website |
Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Digital (DVB-T) | Channel 37 (602 MHz) |
Broadcasting at 89.3 MHz, TVMobile had outdoor-advertising platforms at Suntec City food courts[1], Bintan Resorts ferries[2], academic institutions, and in taxis and selected SBS Transit buses. It broadcast daily from 6 AM to midnight, providing an outdoor-advertising medium that scheduled programming according to viewers’s profiles and travel patterns. Home viewers required a digital set-top box to receive it.
On 15 December 2009, Mediacorp announced that TVMobile would be discontinued on 1 January 2010, at the end of its agreement with SBS Transit.[3]
Closure
Mediacorp stated that their decision to discontinue TVMobile came from careful evaluation of the service's viability, considering the substantial resources required to operate and maintain it.
This may also be due to SBS Transit importing buses since 2002 but without mounting TVMobile in their buses (except 2 Volvo B9TL CDGE and 1 Volvo B10TL Volgren CR222LD). It was only available on Mercedes-Benz O405 (Duple Metsec), Mercedes-Benz O405 (Walter Alexander PS), Volvo B10M Mark III, Volvo B10M Mark IV (Duple Metsec), Volvo B10M Mark IV (Walter Alexander Strider), Volvo B10M Mark IV (Duple Metsec DM3500), Leyland Olympian 3-Axle, Volvo Olympian 3-Axle and Volvo B10TL Super Olympian Prototype (Volgren CR222LD).
This allowed the Volvo B10M Mark IV (Duple Metsec DM3500) to get deployed on their cross-border services (160 & 170), to replace the de-registering Volvo B10M Mark III. The main reason it gets extended for 1 year is because of the TVMobile.
Programmes
It featured re-runs and simulcasts of shows both in Mandarin and English, and lately some in Malay and a little bit in Tamil, from its sister channels and occasionally features original content; for instance, shorts produced in collaboration with Nanyang Polytechnic.
Infrastructure
The network had one main transmitting site, nine filler transmitting sites and two transposers located island-wide. The digital signal was carried via ATM and microwave transmitting medium to the main transmitting site before being re-transmitted to the filler sites.
Receiving the Channel
TV mobile was available on SBS Transit air-conditioned Buses, Bintan Resort Ferries, the Tasty corner & delight corner in Suntec (Carrefour) and a few SmartCab Taxis. In addition, an audio simulcast of the channel was available by tuning into 89.3 MHz on the FM band, which eventually reused by Money FM 89.3.
Similar systems in Singapore
Media Taurus
Media Taurus, the advertising arm of Tower Transit Singapore, is responsible for advertising on its buses.
SBS Transit Moove Media
SBS Transit Moove Media, the advertising arm of Go-Ahead Singapore and SBS Transit, is responsible for advertising on its trains, buses and taxis. A similar system, through the use of liquid-crystal display (LCD) monitors, has been installed on all trains plying the North East line, Downtown line, Sengkang LRT & Punggol LRT (Currently, only the Downtown line trains are active).
XCO Media+
XCO Media+, the advertising arm of SMRT Corporation, is responsible for advertising on its trains, buses and taxis. A similar system, through the use of LCD monitors, has been installed on SMRT's third newest fleet of trains (the C751Bs) and all trains plying the Bukit Panjang LRT (Currently all deactivated).
Reception and feedback
As of 2005, TVMobile had been installed in most of SBS Transit's buses. TVMobile was an outdoor digital television station, broadcasting live news and entertainment programmes throughout the buses' operating hours. SBS Transit was the only bus operator to have installed TVMobile in its buses as of 2006.
From time to time, SBS Transit's use of TVMobile had frequently attracted flak in the Straits Times' Forum pages. Some commuters hold the impression that the installation of TVMobile was the reason for increases in bus fares, even after announcements that this was not the cause.[4] [5] [6] There were also feedback about TVMobile's suitability [7] and the repetitiveness of the programs broadcast.[8] [9]
This was despite the fact that the infrastructure and equipment of TVMobile was not managed by SBS Transit at all, but rather, by Mediacorp TV Holdings. SBS Transit buses were just a medium on which TVMobile was installed. TVMobile also provided an extra source of revenue for SBS Transit. This was due to the royalties paid by Mediacorp.
References
- "TVMobile Moving into Suntec Foodcourt". MediaCorp. 15 May 2001. Archived from the original on 24 December 2001. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- "TVMobile Service On Bintan Resort Ferries". MediaCorp. 1 October 2001. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- "MediaCorp to discontinue TV Mobile from next year". Channel NewsAsia. 15 December 2009. Archived from the original on 19 December 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- Gan Y. C., Save money, do away with TV Mobile, The Straits Times, May 27, 2006 Saturday.
- Chong J., Forget TV mobile, give us more frequent bus services", The Straits Times, May 19, 2006.
- Arip, A., Did TV Mobile survey include a cross-section of commuters?, The Straits Times, November 9, 2006.
- Balaguru, R., 'Desperate Housewives' on TV Mobile not good, The Straits Times, May 25, 2006.
- Tan, K.S., TVMobile repeats programmes ad nauseam. Can anything be done about it?, The Straits Times, November 26, 2005.
- Teo K.S., TVMobile is boring. Take off old shows and replace them with new ones, The Straits Times, August 28, 2006.