Television arrived in Singapore on 15 Feb 1963. Television Singapura was inaugurated as a pilot monochrome service at the Victoria Memorial Hall where 500 VIPs had gathered to witness the momentous occasion.

  The first one hour and 45 minute broadcast was viewed by 2,400 families - who owned TV sets - in the comfort of their homes, as well as crowds at 52 community centres across the island. Then, one in every 12 homes owned a TV set.

  The first programme televised in Singapore was a 15-minute documentary produced by Television Singapura called TV Looks At Singapore. This programme introduced to viewers the world of TV broadcasting and the role it would play in the lives of Singaporeans.

  On 2 Apr 1963, regular broadcasts began with four hours of programming on one channel - Channel 5.

  Colour TV test transmissions started in May 1974 with daily half-hour slots at 11.05am and 2.05pm until 31 July 1974. One television set distributor announced a selling price of S$1,600!

  The lukewarm response to colour TV changed when the TV station announced that its first 'live' colour telecast via satellite would be the World Cup Soccer Finals between West Germany and Holland on 7 Jul 1974 at 10.30pm. Two thousand TV sets were bought the day before the match.

  Golden Mile Complex had 20 sets installed. Fitzpatrick Supermarket in Orchard Road had two, Nanyang University (now Nanyang Technological University) had three sets in its canteen, and seven hotels had over 30 sets among them receiving the match 'live'. A million people watched West Germany beat Holland 2-1 in living colour. 

  The first phase of the colour service began smoothly on 1 Aug 1974, and on 11 Nov 1974, the second phase was launched. The newsreel was televised in colour and programmes increased from two hours to four hours on weekdays and from four to six hours on weekends.

  By 1987, 526,677 households or one in 1.2 households here had colour TV sets.

Source: On Television In Singapore - A book published by Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC)