Passion FM99.5, Singapore's only Arts-centred radio station (
http://www.passion995.org.sg) was officially put off the air on 31 December 2003. The reason for closure and a brief history of the radio station, as extracted from the official Passion99.5 website, are in the below paragraphs within the parentheses.
"The recent organisation review undertaken by NAC to redefine its business strategies and consolidate its resources has led to the decision to stop operating the station. Passion has been heavily supported through government funding. In the current economic climate, such funding has to be prioritised and deployed to more critical areas of arts development. As an arts radio station, Passion has a niche listenership that is too small to attract sustained sponsorship and advertising revenue to cover its operating cost. The frequency 99.5 FM will be returned to the Media Development Authority on 31 Dec 2003.
Passion went on air in December 1997, broadcasting 11 hours a day. In April 2000, sponsorship from NTUC Income made possible an extension of broadcast hours to 16 hours a day, from 7am to 11pm. At the same time, the station began a daily 2-hour slot for Singapore music. Last year, the station began broadcasting some of its arts programmes in Mandarin. Overall, the station�fs arts and cultural programmes, and ethnic world music (including Singaporean music) reached an average of 30,000 listeners per week."
This forum is chiefly dedicated to the reminiscing of the radio station. Also, the analysis of the reasonings behind governmental policies over Singapore's art scene and NAC's move.[/url]