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A Chinese radio channel to serve children on car rides

We celebrated Children’s Day earlier this month and I woud like to ask if the Government would consider letting us have a radio channel for children.

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Audrey Yang Oon Hui

We celebrated Children’s Day earlier this month and I woud like to ask if the Government would consider letting us have a radio channel for children.

As I listened to my favourite Chinese radio station while driving, it struck me that it would be good to have one.

Why radio? Because children these days are spending too much time in front of their computer screens.

Not only that, they spend quite a lot of time in the car.

My grandsons, for example, love listening to their favourite CDs, be they songs or storytelling, on the way home from school.

It would be a great opportunity for children (adults, too) to use their ears more, and give their eyes and mouths some rest.

The radio channel can play music, present news in brief, and run programmes that are appropriate for the young, say, up to 16 years of age.

Book reviews to help our children develop good and tasteful reading habits would be most welcome.

Programmes could be scheduled to run for pre-schoolers in the morning, and primary and secondary school students in the afternoons and evenings.

During examination periods, there could even be a programme to help children (not just parents) through the stressful time.

As for the language? The radio station could be multilingual, but going by the popularity of Chinese TV and radio channels, a Chinese “Kids Club” radio channel should do well. A poll may be done to find out the popular preference.

I’ll be happy with the use of multiple languages, but definitely not just in English. English content is too easily available on the Internet as it is.

I believe that a well-curated, well-run Chinese radio channel for children will do very well in Singapore. I will definitely listen in, even if my grandsons are not in the car.

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