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.

Warna 942
Broadcast areaSingapore
Johor Bahru/Johor Bahru District (Malaysia)
Batam/Batam Islands, Riau Islands (Indonesia)
Frequency94.2 MHz
Programming
Language(s)Malay
FormatAdult contemporary
Religious radio
Ownership
OwnerMediacorp
Ria 897
History
First air date
  • 4 January 1959; 65 years ago (1959-01-04) (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
  • Radio Singapore (Radio Singapura) (4 January 1959–31 December 1981)
  • Malay Service (Perkhidmatan Bahasa Melayu) (4 January 1959–31 December 1981)
  • Radio 2 (Radio Dua) (1 January 1982–22 November 1991)
Former frequencies
  • 990 kHz
    (4 January 1959–31 December 1993)
Technical information
Licensing authority
IMDA
Links
Webcast
WebsiteWarna 942

The station's origins can be traced back to Radio Singapura's Malay Service, which began on 4 January 1959. The station began a relay on 94.2 FM on 15 July 1967. It was later rebranded as Radio 2 on 1 January 1982, and then Warna (colour) on 23 November 1991.

In a 2016 survey, Nielsen rated Warna 942 as the country's most listened-to Malay station.[1]

History

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Radio Singapura began service on 4 January 1959, succeeding Radio Malaya Singapore; after having shared airtime with English-language programmes on the Blue Network,[2] a dedicated Malay channel was established under the new broadcaster.[3] On 15 July 1967, Radio Television Singapore officially launched its FM radio service, with the Malay service simulcasting on 94.2 FM.[4] On 1 January 1982, as part of a larger rebranding of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) radio stations, the station was rebranded as "Radio 2".[5] On 1 January 1994, SBC ended AM transmission of its stations, moving exclusively to FM.[6]

In August 2013, Warna 942 along with Ria 897 and Suria were consolidated into Mediacorp's Malay Broadcast Division.[7]

Programming

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The station carries a mix of adult contemporary Malay music, as well as news from Mediacorp's Berita newsroom, and radio dramas,

Uniquely, the station broadcasts religious programming catering to the Islamic community. It broadcasts the Islamic call to prayer (azan solat) at the five times determined by the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS). A block of daily religious talk programming is aired at 5:00 a.m. SGT, prior to the Fajr prayer. On Friday evenings, the station broadcasts a service (solat juma'at) recapping the khutbah of the Imam during the period. Yearly on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, the station broadcasts the live Malay-language khutbah immediately after the Takbir from a mosque at 8:00 a.m. During the Maulidur Rasul holiday, the station incorporates Nasyid music dedicated to Muhammad into its music programming.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Eight out of top 10 radio stations are from Mediacorp: Nielsen". Channel NewsAsia. 1 December 2016. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  2. ^ "NEW RADIO SCHEDULES Begin TODAY". Sunday Tribune. 23 December 1945. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Singapore radio to give shortwave broadcasts". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 9 February 1960. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  4. ^ "FM stereo test runs". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 23 June 1967. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  5. ^ "New Year gift: New-sound radio". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 16 December 1981. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  6. ^ "MW band cut with no warning". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 8 January 1994. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Divisyen Siaran Melayu gabung Suria, Warna, Ria". Berita Harian. 2 August 2013. p. 2. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
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