ASIA

Hear 65’s Chinese New Year playlist features top Singapore radio DJs

To usher in the Chinese New Year (CNY), Hear65, SMRT and the National Arts Council (NAC) has rolled out an auspicious CNY playlist as part of its I Play SG Music campaign.The selection contains festive tunes from Joanna Dong, Miss Lou, MICappella, Jaspers Lai, The Apex Project, Lim Tay Peng, Chordinate Singers, Singapore Chinese Orchestra and more.The curation also features contributions from the DJs of Singapore’s most popular radio stations! ‘蛇么都好’ by all the DJs of 96.3 HAOFM and ‘蛇么都 HENG ONG HUAT’ from the DJs of UFM100.3 are festive songs that wish listeners a wonderful and prosperous new year. Likewise, ‘蛇年旺旺旺’ performed by YES933’s DJs is a joyous anthem that paints a vivid picture of family health and joy, traveling with friends and partying together.[embedded content]I Play SG Music spotlights locally produced music at 134 MRT and LRT stations and bus interchanges across the island, as part of a broader partnership between the NAC and transportation service provider SMRT.The I Play SG Music x SMRT CNY 2025 playlist runs from 15 January to 4 February.Hear65 is a national movement which celebrates and promotes all forms of Singaporean music. An initiative by the National Arts Council and produced by independent music media company Bandwagon, it raises the profile of Singaporean musicians through partnerships with events, companies, and advocates throughout the year, as well as a microsite which serves as a one-stop digital destination for the discovery of Singaporean music.Stream the full I Play SG Music x SMRT CNY 2025 playlist here. […]

ASIA

Fijian Broadcasting Corporation turns 70

The Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) launched its 70th birthday celebrations at Viseisei village in Vuda, Lautoka.FBC’s journey began on July 1, 1954 with the broadcast of its first program during the official opening ceremony.Today, the corporation operates six radio stations, with two in each of the major local languages: Fijian, Hindustani, and English.The event marks a significant milestone for the organization, celebrating its seven decades of broadcasting in Fiji and successful transition to the digital era.Veteran Radio Fiji One announcer Apakuki Waqa emphasized the importance of this anniversary, highlighting the organization’s achievements over the years.“FBC has come a long way, and it has produced a number of prominent radio and news presenters in the country,” he said.The anniversary celebration will include visits to 70 villages across the country, reflecting FBC’s deep connection with local communities.It will also coincide with the 2025 edition of the Pacific Media Partnership Conference (PMPC) to be held in partnership with the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union from February 11 to 13.

The PMPC is an opportunity to harness the wisdom and experience of the ABU’s Pacific members while hearing insights from some of the world’s best experts.Photo: FBC […]

ASIA

Radio Taiwan International Spanish voted Most Popular International Radio Station

Radio Taiwan International (Rti) Spanish was voted the “World’s Most Popular International Radio Station for 2024” by members from over 29 countries of the Club de Diexistas Sin Fronteras.Since launching in 1976, RTI’s Spanish-language programming has remained one of the most important beacons in Spanish-language radio with listeners in South and Central America and Spain.One of its shows “El Cartero” was also voted as the Most Popular Listener Feedback Program, while the station netted the Most Popular News Program for the first time.This marks the seventh year since 2015 that Rti has ranked in the top three of the listener poll for the Brazil-based shortwave radio club.While the programming was briefly suspended from 2018 to 2020, they won 70 percent of the votes for the same poll in the year they resumed, winning the Most Popular Network and Feedback show.They edged out Radio Romania International (RRI), Radio Miami International (WRMI), and Radio Exterior (REE) among others.This year, Rti Spanish hosts Andrea Wang and Sol Hong, both from Argentina, were the first and third most popular female hosts respectively, with hosts Paco Najar of Peru, and Iker Izquerido of Spain winning the same respective distinctions for male hosts.Photo: Rti […]

ASIA

High-quality audio with maximum convenience

A trend we have been observing over the past few years is the divergence of audio listening habits.The mass consumer end of the audio market has shifted to earbuds and average quality audio codecs delivering fast streaming audio, while the high end continues to seek high quality digital audio files and hi-fi storage and playback systems.New technology is now promising to deliver higher quality audio but with maximum convenience to the mass market end of the audio audience.Our go-to audio tech research company, Futuresource, has identified some new trends that promise to close the gap between high-quality audio and seamless convenience.Technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE), Auracast and flexible rendering solutions are revolutionising the audio landscape, delivering better sound without building usability barriers, according to analysts Rasika D’Souza and Guy Hammett.The rise of BTLEBTLE is one of the most significant advancements in wireless audio. Powered by the LC3 codec, it doesn’t achieve fully lossless audio, but it does offer a more efficient compression algorithm, delivering far higher-quality sound at lower bitrates. This means consumers can enjoy richer, clearer audio without increasing data consumption or compromising battery life, which is a key selling point for portable devices like earbuds and speakers.Additionally, BTLE significantly reduces latency compared to classic Bluetooth, making wireless audio a viable option for gaming and video streaming, as well as live radio talkback, where wired connections have long been the preferred choice.Extending the horizon with AuracastAuracast, a companion technology to BTLE, adds to the wireless audio experience, allowing a single audio source to broadcast to multiple devices simultaneously. This enables shared listening experiences and improves accessibility. As an example, users can seamlessly share music or podcasts with friends, or connect multiple speakers for a synchronised multi-room system.

Unlike previous wireless audio advancements, BTLE and Auracast are poised for widespread adoption.Major system-on-chip (SoC) vendors, such as Qualcomm, are already embedding these technologies into their hardware, ensuring they will become standard features in the majority of future wireless audio products. Plus, consumers need no additional understanding and effort to reap the benefits of BTLE, making better audio quality accessible to everyone.Flexible rendering for home audioIn the home audio space, flexible rendering technologies like Dolby‘s Atmos FlexConnect and Fraunhofer‘s UpHear are redefining the listening experience. Traditionally, home theatre setups required careful speaker placement to achieve optimal sound, often discouraging consumers due to the complexity and effort involved.These new systems remove that barrier. Flexible rendering calibrates and optimises audio, based on the placement of speakers, regardless of where they are in the room. As a result, consumers can add as many or as few speakers as they like, and the system will quickly and seamlessly recalibrate to deliver the best possible sound experience.This modularity not only simplifies the home theatre experience. It also allows consumers to easily add new speakers from friends or family into their Bluetooth listening experience.Convenience meets quality in a new era for audioThe critical difference with these new technologies is that they require no compromise between quality and convenience. Consumers have consistently demonstrated a preference for ease of use over high fidelity, but now they can enjoy both. Through enhanced wireless audio performance and adaptable home theatre systems, these advancements will align quality audio technology with modern lifestyles.With this seamless blend of convenience and performance, the future of personal and home audio has never looked or sounded better.Senior analyst Rasika D’Souza and Guy Hammett recently discussed the audio innovations, purchasing patterns and their view on what’s ahead for personal and luxury audio in 2025. Check out our new Future Sessions 2025 video series here.Related articles:See also: www.audioinfo.worldDivergence and convergence of listening: smart speakers and the age of audioSmart soundbars are comingMedia Consumer Snapshot 2016 […]

ASIA

13 ideas for celebrating World Radio Day on 13 February

As World Radio Day 2025 approaches, UNESCO is helping radio stations prepare for the annual day 0n 13th February.The UN has listed 13 ideas for credible content to strengthen the image of radio around the world.The 13 ideas are:
Put more emphasis on facts
Review your programming strategy
Present realities from elsewhere
Inform from an intersectional point of view
Start an “On the way to COP30” chronicle
Give the audience a say
Prepare for the storm
Raise the safety awareness of environmental journalists
Redouble your efforts to combat disinformation
Encourage your audience to listen to the radio critically
Strengthen staff competencies in relation to climate change issues
Set the tone
Green your radio
Full details for each idea are available here.The theme of 2025 WRD is Radio and Climate Change.In addition to the resources offered by the UN, radioinfo is a partner with UNESCO for this year’s World Radio Day, so we are offering stations a free chapter from Steve Ahern’s text book, Making Radio and Podcasts.Download your free chapter here.Join the list of world radio stations celebrating WRD here and use it to locate stations around the world that you can partner with or interview when the big day comes around. […]