Dr Tony Tan, chairman of the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), counted down the seconds to 11.30 am, launching the free access webcast service.

ST RazorTV, which offers studio content and on-demand videos in real time, is targeted at those between 18 and 40.

Racy and edgy, it will feature largely uncut interviews and clips 'to bring out the full flavour of events as they happen,' said its editor, Eugene Leow, 36.

'This is acceptable as it will be tuned in by people of the Internet culture, who grew up on a 'diet' of MTV and YouTube,' he said.

Not looking at anything 'posh and polsihed', Mr Leow said even technology such as broadband and Skype are used to bringing news from location.

That aside, an advanced Web Content Management system is used to catalog all the shows and provide viewers with videos on demand, so that they can watch them when they want, anytime.

ST RazorTV offers eight hours of news and lifestyle programmes from Monday to Friday, between 2 pm and 11 pm.

The programmes are streamed in two four-hourly blocks - 2pm to 6 pm and 7 pm to 11 pm.

'These are the prime time slots on the Internet. We did a survey and found out that people tend to log on after lunch. The eyeball period dips after 11 pm,' Mr Leow said.

In his opening speech, Dr Tan said: 'This is a very important and very exciting development. We already have overwhelming print readership in Singapore. With this addition, we are reaching further out to a new audience.'

RazorTV is SPH's lastest foray into the cyberworld. In March, SPH launched rednano.sg, Singapore's first local search and directory engine.