Everyone who has taken the public transport over the last seven years would have known this thing called the TVmobile. It was founded in the year 2001 and became the first broadcaster in the world to deliver commercial digital television programme on public transport. It has also been voted as “the most engaging, entertaining outdoor media in Singapore”. However, there are also many criticisms pertaining to its necessity and the noise created by it.
In addition to Today, The Straits times, TVmobile provides us with morning news shows like “ Primetime Morning” which offer a great start for the day. With its imagery and auditory functions, TVmobile provides us with entertainment news and movie releases among others. Together with the radio station FM 89.3, it becomes more accessible and keeps people informed when they are on the move. TVmobile is a localized media since it is targeted mainly at the Singaporean public commuters. However its ability to reach and influence the public should not be underestimated.
From what I observed, TVmobile has been very interactive as the public can share exam tips with others, send greetings during Christmas and other occasions to others via sms. The first Local Talent Showcase Project showcasing students’ creative works was broadcast via TVmobile too. TVmobile has a great number of advertisements, since it is an outdoor advertising media in the first place. Through repeating certain advertisements, it raises importance of issues in the public's mind, for instance the "Yellow Ribbon Projects" and "Be a teacher--Ministry of Education".
TVmobile has revolutionized the way we watch television. It gives commuters a different travelling experience. Normally television is watched at home and seldom in the public, however, now you share a common space with others when watching the same programmes on the buses. At home, you can switch off the television set if you do not like the programmes, however, on the bus, you cannot do so.
Some consider TVmobile entertaining during long trips, however some view it as irritating due to the noise it creates. One commuter is quoted as saying, “Tvmobile is a nuisance adding unnecessary noise to our already stressful living environment”. This view is echoed among many others who feel that they deserve a quiet time on the bus journey. These people feel that TVmobile does not add meaning to their trips or make the trips more pleasant. Some go to the extremes of avoiding SBS buses with TVmobile altogether. From here, we can see the reactions of different people originating from the same media.
Personally, I feel that TVmobile is not brought about by public demand, rather it is being “thrown at us”, and so we had no choice but to accept it. The bus is a public transport after all, so we cannot demand for peace and quiet as we like.
Whatever it is, as communications technology continues to expand, the future to outdoor advertising media will continue to evolve, and it will not stay at the TVmobile now. There will be many more innovative applications of the digital television. As TVmobile generates advertising revenue for Mediacorp, it is definitely here to stay as an outdoor advertising media. It will continue to influence us whether we like it or not.
In addition to Today, The Straits times, TVmobile provides us with morning news shows like “ Primetime Morning” which offer a great start for the day. With its imagery and auditory functions, TVmobile provides us with entertainment news and movie releases among others. Together with the radio station FM 89.3, it becomes more accessible and keeps people informed when they are on the move. TVmobile is a localized media since it is targeted mainly at the Singaporean public commuters. However its ability to reach and influence the public should not be underestimated.
From what I observed, TVmobile has been very interactive as the public can share exam tips with others, send greetings during Christmas and other occasions to others via sms. The first Local Talent Showcase Project showcasing students’ creative works was broadcast via TVmobile too. TVmobile has a great number of advertisements, since it is an outdoor advertising media in the first place. Through repeating certain advertisements, it raises importance of issues in the public's mind, for instance the "Yellow Ribbon Projects" and "Be a teacher--Ministry of Education".
TVmobile has revolutionized the way we watch television. It gives commuters a different travelling experience. Normally television is watched at home and seldom in the public, however, now you share a common space with others when watching the same programmes on the buses. At home, you can switch off the television set if you do not like the programmes, however, on the bus, you cannot do so.
Some consider TVmobile entertaining during long trips, however some view it as irritating due to the noise it creates. One commuter is quoted as saying, “Tvmobile is a nuisance adding unnecessary noise to our already stressful living environment”. This view is echoed among many others who feel that they deserve a quiet time on the bus journey. These people feel that TVmobile does not add meaning to their trips or make the trips more pleasant. Some go to the extremes of avoiding SBS buses with TVmobile altogether. From here, we can see the reactions of different people originating from the same media.
Personally, I feel that TVmobile is not brought about by public demand, rather it is being “thrown at us”, and so we had no choice but to accept it. The bus is a public transport after all, so we cannot demand for peace and quiet as we like.
Whatever it is, as communications technology continues to expand, the future to outdoor advertising media will continue to evolve, and it will not stay at the TVmobile now. There will be many more innovative applications of the digital television. As TVmobile generates advertising revenue for Mediacorp, it is definitely here to stay as an outdoor advertising media. It will continue to influence us whether we like it or not.
8 comments:
Hmmm.. I do agree that TV mobile can be a nuisance sometimes, especially when the reception is not too good, and the programme gets interrupted (literally stopped) halfway, when you were enjoying it. It can be distracting to students who are trying to sleep or study on board too.
TV mobile allows us to express our thoughts, but only on special occasions. They should have a scroll bar below so that we can express our thoughts more often!
Can watch my fav progs that I missed on tv on the bus now. But they should repeat the dramas at better timings! I always miss it coz I'm at sch.
yes TV mobile serves as a good source of info because of the variety of progs. I feel tt disruption (due to technical problems or poor reception) is a major flaw tt erases whatever benefits TV mobile is supposed to have. Having boarded buses tt have disrupted video/audio so frequently makes me think that TV mobile may be a waste of money, unless improvements are made.
Personally, I love TV mobile and would prefer them to show sth more lighthearted, eg. Just for Laugh etc as these programmes have a universal appeal and can cater to almost everybody.
I agree that TV mobile can be annoying at times, especially when the TV sets are not working but the speakers are still on. So it's just 'noise' blaring out from the speakers but commuters can't see what's going on on TV.
I like short and funny programmes like 'Just For Laughs'. It keeps me entertained during short journeys. I don't really see the point of airing dramas on TV Mobile though, cos how many commuters will be on the bus for that full hour?
personally i dont watch tv mobile...find it pretty redundant cos it's really not v audible. however, i dont really find it annoying. basically, i just ignore it...
I am ok with the noise levels of TVMobile because I listen to my MP3 player most of the time...I guess the reason that they have a general sound system is due to the fact that a lot of people may not have radio to tune in to the audio broadcast...But I do want to gripe about the reception of TVMobile in some areas...I understand that this is inherent issue of microwave transmission but the disruptions can be quite severe...other than that, the programmes can sometimes be quite boring...ironically they chose to have repeat broadcast of certain mediacorp drama serials...I find it quite redundant because most bus rides don't allow you the luxury of watching the entire episode...even more ironic is TVMobile is not offered on some long-haul trips...I guess the technology is a mix bag...not here, not there
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