The channel began a series of experimental broadcasts on 31 August 1963, and officially launched on 22 November 1963.

[3] A second test transmission took place between 16 and 20 September of that year and devoted much of its time to the week-long celebrations, to coincide with the historic Proclamation of Malaysia, and the political campaigns leading up to the 1963 General Election.

Its sister station Saluran 5 Televisyen Singapura was launched on 2 April that year with a mix of shows in every language of Singapore at the time.

This led to the expansions of the network, including a move to the new $3.6 million Television Centre in Caldecott Hill on 26 August 1966.

Following the ETS blocktime, the channel would have a transmission break to allow for the handover to its own broadcast crews.

In the fall of 1982, Channel 8 debuted the country's pioneer Mandarin language TV movie, Seletar Robbery, the hit that would spawn the start of successful drama productions in the years that followed.

[8] SBC 8 began airing local hour-long weekday drama series at 9:30 pm on 1 January 1987.

[12] Beginning 1 August 1990, Channel 8 began airing in stereo all its Chinese and Tamil language productions.

The image song was written and sung by Singaporean twins, Paul and Peter Lee.

Tamil viewers are treated with an Indian musical and an hour-long variety show the next day.

[14] Tamil programmes moved to Prime 12 in September 1995 and Channel 8 has since focused on the Chinese-speaking audiences of Singapore.