Some radio milestones through the decades

SINGAPORE — We take radio for granted these days, and it is hard to imagine that once upon a time, there was only one means of broadcast and only one station beaming music and news out to everybody on the island. Now, we have 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. Here are some of the key milestones in eight decades of radio.

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).

1949

Cable radio service Rediffusion is launched.

1952

Radio moves to Caldecott Hill. Programmes are channelled by cable to Jurong, from where they are transmitted.

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

Radio Singapore is renamed Radio Television Singapore (RTS).

1967

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

1980

RTS is renamed the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its first chairman is the late Ong Teng Cheong, the then Minister of Culture. Radio broadcasting hours increase from eight to 18 a day. 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

Singapore channels face competition from radio channels Zoo 100.6FM and Coast 99.5FM, broadcast by Indonesian station Batam Radio. 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 becomes Warna 94.2FM, Radio 3 is City Sounds 95.8FM, Radio 4 is Olikkalanjiam 96.8FM. The National Trades Union Congress launches Radio Heart.

1994

Radio Singapore International (RSI) is launched; as is FM97.2, a 24-hour Mandarin music station. On Oct 1, the Radio Corporation of Singapore (RCS) is established. The Singapore Armed Forces Reservist Association (Safra) launches Power 98 in English and Dong Li 88.3FM in Mandarin.

1995

Radio 1 becomes ONE FM90.5 in 1995.

1997

FM97.2 is renamed Love 97.2FM, and Olikkalanjiam becomes Oli 96.8FM, even as two more stations — News Radio 93.8FM and FM 96.3 The International Channel — are launched. Traffic Watch 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

RCS launches SmartRadio, the first commercial Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) service in Asia.

2001

Mediacorp Radio (MCR) is established. SPH Radio launches WKRZ 91.3 abd UFM 1003.

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. Korean and Hindi are added on for Expat Radio 96.3XFM’s offerings.

2010

MeRadio, a smartphone application, which carries all 13 stations is launched.

2012

Kiss92, targeting female listeners, is launched.