&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Question_book-new.svg){kind=small} | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2021) |
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Mediacorp_Channel_U_2023.svg) | |
| Country | Singapore |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Singapore Malaysia (Johor) Indonesia (Riau Islands) |
| Headquarters | Mediacorp Campus, 1 Stars Avenue, Singapore 138507 |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Chinese dialects (e.g. Mandarin) Korean Thai English (subtitles) |
| Picture format | 1080i 16:9 HDTV |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Mediacorp |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | 6 May 2001 |
| Links | |
| Website | Official Site |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Digital terrestrial television | UHF CH 33 570MHz DVB-T2 Channel 7 (HD) |
| Streaming media | |
| meWATCH | Available on meWATCH website or mobile app (Singapore only) |
Channel U (marketed as U頻道, formerly named 優頻道) is a Mandarin-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp.
The channel was first established in 2001 by SPH MediaWorks—a subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings—as one of two new FTA channels launched by the company (alongside the English-language TVWorks, later renamed Channel i). While it eventually became competitive with MediaCorp's Channel 8 in viewership, Channel i was struggling to compete with MediaCorp's Channel 5, and the company operated at a loss.
In 2004, SPH announced an agreement to divest its television stations and free newspaper business to MediaCorp in exchange for a stake in its television and publishing businesses. As a result, MediaCorp took over Channel U on 1 January 2005, positioning it as a counterpart to Channel 8 targeting a youth and young adult audience.
Channel U broadcasts from 3:00 p.m SGT on weekdays and 10:00 a.m SGT on weekends and holidays, to 1:00 a.m SGT on weekdays and 2:30 a.m SGT on weekends and holidays.