Friday, July 29, 2011

A brief look at 75 years of radio (History of Singapore Radio)

By  CHRISTOPHER TOH

What began as a single radio station in 1936 has now become the nation's largest radio network, with programmes in various languages - English, Chinese, Malay, Tamil, French, German, Japanese, Hindi and Korean - to cater to the culturally diverse and increasingly cosmopolitan population here. CHRISTOPHER TOH

1936
Radio transmission begins in Singapore, operating from a government building at Empress Place - the first "city studio".

1942
During the Japanese Occupation, radio is operated by the Japanese as Syonan Hoso Kyoku.

1946
With the end of World War II, the British once again take over and establish Radio Malaya Singapore And The Federation Of Malaya (RMSFOM).

1951
Radio moves to Caldecott Hill, with its programmes channelled to Jurong's transmitting station.

1959
The independence of the federation of Malaya in 1957 results in the establishment of Radio Singapore - an independent offshoot of RMSFOM. Operating on the medium and short-wave bands, it offers four channels with programmes in English, Malay, Tamil and seven Chinese dialects.

1963
RMSFOM is renamed Radio Malaysia.

1965
After Singapore declares its independence, Radio Singapore is renamed Radio Television Singapore (RTS) - along with the arrival of television.

1967
FM radio transmissions on bandwidths FM90.5, FM94.2, FM95.8 and FM96.8 begin.

1980
RTS is renamed the Singapore Broadcasting Coorperation (SBC). Its first Chairman is the late Ong Teng Cheong.

1981
A fifth radio station FM92.4FM, playing classical music, is launched.

1982
The five stations are renamed Radio 1 (English), Radio 2 (Malay), Radio 3 (Mandarin), Radio 4 (Tamil) and Radio 5 (classical music).

1987
SBC starts "format programming" to adapt its radio broadcast to the needs of segmented groups of listeners.

1989
Singapore's first 24-hour music channel, Perfect 10 98.7FM is launched.

1990
Three more stations are launched: Class 95FM, Y.E.S. 93.3FM, Ria 89.7FM

1991
Radio 2 is re-named Warna 94.2FM, Radio 3 becomes City Sounds 95.8FM, Radio 4 is now called Olikkalanjiam 96.8FM.

1994
Radio Singapore International (RSI) is launched, as is FM97.2, a 24-hour Mandarin music station. On October 1, SBC is dissolved for corporatisation; and the Radio Corporation of Singapore (RCS) is established.

1995
Radio 1 becomes ONE FM90.5 in 1995.

1997
FM97.2 is re-named Love 97.2FM, and Olikkalanjiam becomes Oli 96.8FM, even as two more stations - NewsRadio 93.8FM and FM 96.3 The International Channel - are launched. TrafficWatch is launched across all stations.

1998
City Sounds 95.8FM is retooled as Capital 95.8FM, while ONE FM90.5 becomes Gold 90.5FM.

1999
The digital radio stations are launched.

2001
RCS is dissolved and MediaCorp Radio (MCR) is established as a private corporation, with MediaCorp as the holding company.

2004
Lush 99.5FM, a trendsetting radio station for those aged 25 to 40, is launched on New Year's Eve.

2005
NewsRadio 93.8FM becomes 938LIVE.

2008
On Jan 1, all 13 stations broadcast 24/7. The businesses and operations of MCR are transferred to MediaCorp Pte Ltd (MPL). RSI stops transmission. Korean and Hindi are added on for Expat Radio 96.3XFM's offerings.

2009
Lush 99.5FM moves its studio to Orchard Central.

2010
987FM moves its studio to *SCAPE. MeRadio, a smartphone application, which carries all 13 stations is launched.

(Source : todayonline.com)

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