Radio Singapore International to end SW broadcasts

[Fansome]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/351639/1/.html

MediaCorp's Radio Singapore International (RSI) will end transmission on July 31.

MediaCorp said it will redeploy all RSI staff to other areas and retrain some for new duties.

The regional shortwave radio service was set up in 1994 by the former Singapore Broadcasting Corporation.

The aim was to reach out to the region and help overseas Singaporeans keep pace with developments at home.

MediaCorp said the effectiveness of a shortwave radio service has diminished over time, with changing technology and media consumption habits.

It added while FM radio broadcast remains strong, audiences are turning to other channels such as the web and Channel NewsAsia's International feed for their news.

So it is no longer optimal to continue with a full regional radio service, which broadcasts in four languages. - CNA/vm

[Zoidberg]

Hard to imagine all those little islands can get by with FM radio, cell phones and satellite TV.  I suspect they've decided to abandon HF to the isolated areas for makeshift regional programming, aka "pirates."