Channel W

Channel W was a Malaysian television channel operated by Online Dynamics (M) Sdn Bhd, a Bumiputera-owned media company. The service originated as Capital TV and was positioned initially as a locally focused business channel. It began broadcasting on Hypp TV in high definition on channel 127 on 1 December 2011 and was formally launched on 29 March 2012. At launch, the service was described as Malaysia's first local business channel, with programming centered on business information, news, interviews, and related matters. Its first editor-in-chief was Pravin Kumar, a former journalist with Malaysia's national news agency, Bernama. Although Capital TV started with an English-language orientation, its programming gradually incorporated more Malay-language content. The channel also broadened beyond its original business remit through factual, lifestyle, entertainment, current-affairs, and sports-related programming. Examples included the motorsport production connected with Team FXPrimus Aylezo's participation in the 2014 Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia season, the cookery and entrepreneurship reality programme Bake & Sell, and the documentary series Jejak Jeneral about members of the Malaysian Armed Forces. In 2016, Capital TV worked with Radio Televisyen Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia on Persoalannya, a current-issues discussion programme featuring panelists from UPM and other contributors. On 3 January 2018, Capital TV was renamed Channel W. The rebrand marked a strategic change away from the channel's original business-centered identity toward a more accessible schedule of news and current-affairs programming presented in a less formal style. The name W referred to Warta, meaning gazette or newspaper, and connected the television service with the Warta newspaper, which was also associated with Online Dynamics. Following the change, the former Capital TV channel stopped updating and redirected audiences to the Channel W website. Channel W ceased broadcasting on 1 April 2019. Its former channel space on the MYTV platform was later taken over by TVS on 6 February 2021. As a result, Channel W is a defunct Malaysian television brand rather than an active broadcaster. Publicly available reference material documents its broadcasting history and selected programmes, but does not establish a current operating structure, financial results, or a continuing corporate presence under the Channel W name.

Channel W's history began with Capital TV, a Malaysian television service created by Online Dynamics (M) Sdn Bhd. The broadcaster initially pursued a specialized business-news identity and began broadcasting in high definition on Hypp TV channel 127 on 1 December 2011. It received its formal public launch on 29 March 2012 and was promoted as Malaysia's first local business channel. The original service broadcast primarily in English and combined business information with news, interviews, and related programming. Pravin Kumar, formerly associated with Bernama, served as its first editor-in-chief. The channel's output expanded during the following years. In May 2014, Capital TV entered an agreement with Aylezo Sdn Bhd to produce motorsport-related material connected with Team FXPrimus Aylezo's participation in the 2014 Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia season. The resulting content was scheduled for broadcast in 2015. Capital TV also broadened its non-sports programming. In September 2014, it aired Bake & Sell, a reality programme combining cookery and entrepreneurship. The show was presented as a local format influenced by international programmes including The Great British Bake Off and The Apprentice. In August 2015, the broadcaster produced and aired Jejak Jeneral, a 13-episode documentary series about members of the Malaysian Armed Forces. The next year, it collaborated with Radio Televisyen Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia on Persoalannya, a 15-episode discussion programme dealing with current issues. The programme brought together two panelists from UPM and two additional panelists for each discussion. These projects illustrate the service's movement away from a narrowly defined business channel toward a general-interest broadcaster with factual, cultural, public-affairs, and entertainment material. During this period, Malay-language programming was also added progressively to the channel's mainly English-language schedule. A major repositioning took place on 3 January 2018, when Capital TV was renamed Channel W. The new name referred to Warta, a word meaning gazette or newspaper, and connected the channel to the Warta newspaper associated with the same media company. The rebrand abandoned the initial business-focused format in favor of news and current issues delivered in a more casual presentation style. The Capital TV service stopped updating and redirected users to the Channel W website as part of the transition. Channel W ultimately ceased broadcasting on 1 April 2019. It was not an active broadcaster thereafter. The channel position it had used on MYTV was later taken over by TVS on 6 February 2021. Available reference material does not document a successor brand directly controlled by Channel W, nor does it provide reliable public information on financial performance, later executives, or the precise circumstances of the shutdown.

• 2021

  Former MYTV channel space assigned to TVS

  [1]Channel Wen.wikipedia.org

  TVS took over Channel W's former MYTV channel space on 6 February 2021.

• 2019

  Broadcasting ended

  [1]Channel Wen.wikipedia.org

  Channel W ceased broadcasting on 1 April 2019.

• 2018

  Capital TV rebranded as Channel W

  [1]Channel Wen.wikipedia.org

  The channel changed its name on 3 January 2018 and adopted a broader news and current-affairs positioning.

• 2016

  Persoalannya produced with RTM and UPM

  [1]Channel Wen.wikipedia.org

  Capital TV collaborated with Radio Televisyen Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia on the 15-episode current-issues programme Persoalannya.

• 2015

  Jejak Jeneral broadcast

  [1]Channel Wen.wikipedia.org

  Capital TV produced and aired the 13-episode armed-forces documentary Jejak Jeneral.

• 2014

  Motorsport production agreement

  [1]Channel Wen.wikipedia.org

  Capital TV agreed with Aylezo Sdn Bhd to produce content associated with Team FXPrimus Aylezo's 2014 Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia participation.

• 2014

  Bake & Sell aired

  [1]Channel Wen.wikipedia.org

  The channel introduced Bake & Sell, a cookery and entrepreneurship reality programme.

• 2012

  Capital TV formally launched

  [1]Channel Wen.wikipedia.org

  Capital TV received its formal launch on 29 March 2012 as a locally focused Malaysian business channel.

• 2011

  Capital TV began broadcasting

  [1]Channel Wen.wikipedia.org

  The service began broadcasting in high definition on Hypp TV channel 127 on 1 December 2011.

A Malaysian television broadcaster that evolved from an English-language business channel into a broader news, current-affairs, entertainment, and factual-content service.

• Business television channel · 2011

  Capital TV

  The original name of the service. Capital TV was launched as a Malaysian high-definition channel focused primarily on business news, information, interviews, and related programming. Its schedule later expanded into factual, lifestyle, entertainment, current-affairs, and sports-related content.

• News and current-affairs television channel · 2018

  Channel W

  The rebranded service that replaced Capital TV in January 2018. Channel W moved away from the original business-channel format and emphasized news and current issues presented in a more casual style, while retaining a broader mix of entertainment and factual programming.

• 2018

  Rebrand from Capital TV to Channel WStrategy

  Background

  The original Capital TV identity was associated primarily with business broadcasting, while the service had progressively added Malay-language and general-interest programmes.

  Action taken

  On 3 January 2018, the broadcaster changed the channel name to Channel W, stopped updating the Capital TV channel identity, and repositioned the schedule around more casually presented news and current-affairs content.

  Aftermath

  The Channel W service continued until it ceased broadcasting on 1 April 2019. Its former MYTV channel space was later used by TVS.

  Source

1. 1Channel Wen.wikipedia.org