Gold 905

Last updated

GOLD 905
Broadcast area Singapore
Johor Bahru/Johor Bahru District (Malaysia)
Batam/Batam Islands, Riau Islands (Indonesia)
Frequency 90.5 MHz
Programming
Language(s) English (Singlish)
Format Classic hits
Ownership
Owner Mediacorp
History
First air date
  • 1 March 1937;87 years ago (1937-03-01) (on AM)
  • 15 July 1967;57 years ago (1967-07-15) (on FM)
Last air date
  • 31 December 1993;30 years ago (1993-12-31) (on AM)
Former names
  • ZHL (1937–1959)
  • Radio Singapore (1959–1982)
  • Radio 1 (1982–1995)
  • One FM 90.5 (1995–1998)
Former frequencies
630 kHz
(1 March 1937–31 December 1993)
Technical information
Licensing authority
IMDA
Links
Webcast
Website Gold 90.5

Gold 905 is an English-language radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp, it broadcasts a classic hits format.

Contents

The station traces its origins to the beginning of regulated radio broadcasting in Singapore/Straits Settlements on 1 March 1937; it initially broadcast on AM under the call sign ZHL, and carried programmes in the languages of English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. With the gradual expansion of language-based radio services in Singapore, the station would focus on English-language programmes. It was renamed Radio 1 in 1982; it carried a full service format until 1998, when news programming was relocated to the new NewsRadio 93.8, and 90.5 relaunched as an oldies station.

History

The station was awarded a licence in 1935 [1] under the auspices of the British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation. Initially set for a 1936 launch target, the station eventually delayed its launch to 1 March 1937, roughly two months after the expiry of the previous radio station in Singapore, ZHI. The new station carried the callsign ZHL, and broadcast on an AM medium wave frequency of 630 kHz (which remained unchanged after the Geneva Frequency Plan of 1975, as it was already on a multiple of 9 kHz), [2] [3] [4] and began FM transmissions in 1967. On 1 January 1994, AM broadcasting was discontinued in Singapore in favour of FM. [5]

Until late-1945, the station, as the country's then-sole extant radio station, broadcast language-based block programming aimed at the local population in English, Chinese dialects, Malay and Tamil. Over time, its language-based programmes were diffused into separate stations serving specific language groups, leaving ZHL as the English-language service of Radio Singapore. On 1 January 1982, the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation rebranded its stations, with the English service being rebranded as Radio 1. [6]

On 28 October 1989, Radio 1 began airing "mellow, middle-of-the-road music" on weekday afternoons through a seven-hour programme block. [7]

One FM became Gold 90.5 on 2 July 1998, playing music from the 1970s, golden oldies and country, with plans to include contemporary jazz and Latin American pop. News-heavy content would move to NewsRadio 93.8. [8] In 2016, the station introduced new Saturday evening shows devoted to classic rock (Rock of Ages) and disco (Solid Gold) as part of a revamp of its DJ lineup. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mediacorp</span> Singaporean commercial media company

Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. is the state-owned media conglomerate of Singapore. Owned by Temasek Holdings—the investment arm of the Government of Singapore—it owns and operates television channels, radio, and digital media properties. It is headquartered at the Mediapolis development in Queenstown's One-north precinct, which succeeded Caldecott Hill—the long-time home of its predecessors—in 2015; as of 2022, Mediacorp employs over 3,000 employees; a large number of them are in both public and private sector broadcasting.

Television in Singapore began on 15 February 1963. The public broadcaster, MediaCorp TV, has a monopoly on terrestrial television channels and is fully owned by government holding company Temasek Holdings. Local pay TV operators are StarHub TV and Singtel TV. The private ownership of satellite dishes was previously forbidden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Channel 5 (Singaporean TV channel)</span> English television channel in Singapore

Channel 5 is an English-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel primarily airs general entertainment and news programming in the English language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Channel 8 (Singaporean TV channel)</span> Television channel

Channel 8 is a Singaporean Mandarin-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel broadcasts general entertainment and news programming in the Mandarin language, including original and imported programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CNA (TV network)</span> Singapore English language news channel

CNA is a Singaporean multinational news channel owned by Mediacorp, the country's state-owned media conglomerate. CNA broadcasts free-to-air domestically in Singapore, and internationally as a pay television channel to 29 territories across the Asia-Pacific. It also streams on Mediacorp's domestic meWatch platform, and on free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platforms and YouTube internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radio Televisyen Malaysia</span> Public broadcaster of Malaysia

Radio Televisyen Malaysia, also known as the Department of Broadcasting, Malaysia is the national public broadcaster of Malaysia, headquartered at Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur. Established on 1 April 1946 as Radio Malaya, it is the first and the oldest broadcaster in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CNA938</span> Radio station

CNA938 is an English-language radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp and launched on 2 October 1998, it broadcasts a news/talk radio format.

Public radio broadcasting began in Singapore in April 1925 after the Amateur Wireless Society of Malaya obtained a temporary license to broadcast. Radio Singapura was established as the first local mass market radio service in 1959. Subsequently, on February 15, 1963, before the withdrawal of the British Armed Forces and after the merger with Malaya, Singapore's first television service began as Televisyen Singapura under its owner, Radio Television Singapore (RTS).

Class 95 is an English-language radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp, it broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format. The station launched on 1 April 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">987FM</span> Mediacorp-owned English radio station in Singapore

987 is an English-language radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp, it broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format. The station launched on 1 January 1989 as Perfect 10 98.7 FM.

Suria is a Malay-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel broadcasts general entertainment and news programming in the Malay language, including original programming, and imported programmes from Malaysia and Indonesia. The channel's name represents a new light in the Singaporean Malay-language television along with the new millenium.

Symphony 924 is an English-language radio station in Singapore. Owned by state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp, it broadcasts classical music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XFM 96.3</span> Defunct radio station

XFM 96.3 was an multilingual radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp, it primarily broadcast news and cultural programming serving expat communities, including blocks of world music, simulcasts of programmes from international radio services such as Deutsche Welle and Radio France Internationale, and locally-produced cultural programmes in languages such as Japanese and Korean.

Ria 897 is a Malay-language radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp and launched in 1990, it broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format focused on Malaysian popular music and Indonesian pop music.

Vasantham is a Tamil-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel broadcasts entertainment and news programming targeting the Singaporean Indian community.

Warna 942 is a Malay language radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp, it broadcasts a full-service format serving Malay Singaporeans, including music, news, and religious programming.

Capital 958 is a Mandarin-language radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp, it broadcasts a classic hits format.

Oli 968 is a Tamil-language radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp, it broadcasts programming serving Indian Singaporeans, including music of Tamil Nadu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SPH MediaWorks</span> Former terrestrial television broadcaster in Singapore

SPH MediaWorks Ltd. was a free-to-air terrestrial television broadcaster in Singapore that operated two television channels: Channel U and Channel i, as well as two radio stations: UFM 1003 and WKRZ 91.3FM. It merged with the city-state's long-established broadcasting company, Mediacorp, in 2004.

YES 933 is a Mandarin Chinese radio station in Singapore. Owned by the state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp, it primarily broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format focusing on Chinese and Korean pop music.

References

  1. "BROADCASTING STATION IN SINGAPORE". The Straits Times. 12 April 1935. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  2. "OPENING BY GOVERNOR ON MARCH 1". The Straits Times. 21 February 1937. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  3. "SIR SHENTON THOMAS OPENS SINGAPORE'S NEW BROADCASTER". The Straits Times. 2 March 1937. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  4. "Radio frequencies to be changed". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 3 October 1978. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  5. "MW band cut with no warning". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 8 January 1994. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  6. "New Year gift: New-sound radio". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 16 December 1981. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  7. "Perfect 10 the top radio station — survey". The Straits Times. 21 October 1989. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  8. "One FM goes for news and gold". The Straits Times. 22 April 1998. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  9. "Refreshed DJ line-up at Mediacorp GOLD 905". TODAY. Retrieved 17 June 2024.