8TV (Malaysian TV network)

Its programming consists of mostly dramas, sitcoms and reality shows made in Chinese, either produced in Malaysia or imported from other countries such as Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Singapore.

"[5] However, the plan was canceled the following month[7] because the government felt that the existing TV channels were adequate to meet the country's "present needs.

[14][15] Fauzi Abdul Rahman, the then-Parliamentary Secretary of the Information Ministry, said in May 1992 at the Parliament House that TV4 was likely to be set up by early 1993[16] and would be awarded a tender by June 1992,[17] but it was delayed until August before it began its broadcast.

[18][19] In June 1993, the license was granted to a consortium of four companies, which included The Utusan Group, planning to launch in 1994,[20][21][22] but later delayed to January 1995[23][24] and eventually to 18 February.

[25] In February 1995, MetroVision postponed its program transmission due to feeder cable damage during shipment from Japan[30][31] and rescheduled it for mid-March.

[35] MetroVision started broadcasting on 1 July 1995 at 6:30 pm,[36][37][38] with the official launch on 18 September 1995 at the Putra World Trade Centre.

[39] It was managed by City Television,[25] which eventually renamed as Metropolitan TV, a company owned by Tan Sri Tunku Abdullah, part of the Melewar Group Berhad and a member of the Negeri Sembilan royal family.

Other shareholders included the Utusan Group, Ch-9 Media (formerly Medanmas), and Diversified Systems, which was owned and controlled by Tan Sri Kamarul Ariffin.

[41] Its prime-time Malay news bulletin, Warta Prima, originally aired at 7:30 pm to avoid competition with other channels.

[41] MetroVision had problems with the scheduling of its programs; due to the introduction of the classification system, The Bold and the Beautiful, which used to air in the afternoon, had to be moved to late evenings.

[51] Later in June 1998, MetroVision received approval from the government to broadcast nationwide but did not prepare for the move, citing "reduced revenues from advertisements due to economic downturn" as a reason.

[55][56] Due to the Asian financial crisis and competition from other channels and pay-TV operators (such as Astro, Mega TV and NTV7), MetroVision shut down on 1 November 1999.

In March 2001, MetroVision – then tentatively named Channel 8[a] – was bought by Arab-Malaysian Corporation Berhad, which is owned and controlled by Tan Sri Azman Hashim.

[64] In 2003, the newly established Media Prima announced its intent to acquire MetroVision, believing it could "dominate the broadcasting industry".

[74][75] On 6 September 2007, 8TV along with its sister channels, TV3, NTV7 and TV9, became available for online viewing via Media Prima's newly launched streaming service, Catch-Up TV, which later rebranded as Tonton.

[87][88][89] On 4 May 2021, the channel began broadcasting 24 hours a day due to the launch of Eight FM, which simulcasts radio programming every midnight.

[93] At the beginning of the 2011 Ramadan season, 8TV aired three public service announcements that were criticized as racist and insulting to the Chinese.

The advertisements depicted a Chinese woman eating openly, wearing immodest and uncivilized clothes during Ramadan, with the intention of influencing non-Muslims to respect the fasting month accordingly.