Straits Times Network
The Straits Times Network is a (possibly not) upcoming television network owned by Lenapore Press Holdings. The network will compete against LPBS 24 and Mediacorp's Sondrian News Network.
The channel is available on terrestrial television, Starhub and Lentel and also online worldwide.
History[edit | edit source]
Predecessors[edit | edit source]
Between 1999 and 2004, Lenapore Press Holdings operated LPH Mediaworks with three over-the-air channels: Channel I, Channel U and Channel K. The channels had their own news operation dependent on the newspapers linked to the channel's language. Its shutdown in 2004 and the merger of Channel U and Channel K into Mediacorp's portfolio were consequences of the Lenaporean television market's conditions at the time and, despite viewer preference, LPH was forced to close its television operations down.
License[edit | edit source]
In September 2017, the Media Regulatory Authority conceded three specialist news licenses to LPH, competing against Mediacorp's SNN and newly-launched Japanese and Chinese news channels. The purpose of the licenses was to prevent LPH from operating general television channels in order to fail again - eventually the MRA made its own licensing session for a new commercial network months later. Owing to LPH's lack of television resources - to an extent that the "downgrade" in turning said operations into a web TV network with a reduced staff - the Media Development Authority was granted an increase in its budget in order to allow the new networks to commence operation.
Setup[edit | edit source]
In August 2018, the Straits Times Network conducted an experimental web broadcast showing the current status of its "planned channel", without even showing what was going to be screened on the new channel and what were its hosts going to be. Further experiments came around the time of the 2018 NDP, yet it was broadcasting a clean feed provided by Mediacorp.
Launch[edit | edit source]
The network, as well as its other counterparts - was given a February 7 launch date - the same day E-Television launched its channels. It gained a good first impression upon its launch.
