News & Features Thursday February 7, 2008
Rat on the radio
StarTwo, The Star
IT is the first day of another brand new lunar year again. And our radio airwaves are full of seasonal sounds from the Orient especially among the Chinese broadcasters. Here are some of the specials that are being aired to mark the start of the Year of the Rat:
Radio 988 (Operated by The Star)
From now until Valentine’s Day next Thursday, listeners are invited to SMS in their felicitations for CNY and Valentine’s Day to 988. All one has to do is to key in the festive day they are referring to in their mobile phones and follow it up with a space. Next, include the name of the person you wish to send your greetings to and follow it up with another space. Finally add your brief dedication message. When completed, promptly send your message to 32733.
The cheery 988 deejays in the studio will take it from there. Expect to hear one of them read out your SMS dedications and song requests anytime throughout the day.
For those of you who prefer to hear forecasts of what might await you in the Rat year then listen out for specially recorded interviews with Hong Kong’s Feng Shui Master Edward Lik Kui Ming’s expert reading of the zodiac signs.
Music wise, 988 will also feature, among others, a special interview with upcoming Hong Kong boy band SunBoyz.
988 is also offering RM100 in cash to anyone who can correctly identify the voices of the radio station’s deejays conveying their CNY greeting on the air.
The numbers to call are 03-4048 1198. Good luck to each caller!
Note all of the 988 features are a daily affair on the broadcaster.
MY FM (Operated by Airtime Management and Programming))
MY FM 12 Animals Capsules has been a popular feature on the station for several years during the lunar celebrations. The Chinese Zodiac forecast show returns this year with a new set of predictions in the Chinese horoscope.
Listeners can catch the forecasts daily until Feb 15. Listen out for them every hour from 9am to 9pm.
The capsules feature the expert views of well-known Taiwanese astrologer, Yu Yang, covering many different aspects of an individual’s life – love, career, health, etc.
China Radio International (CRI)
Finally, how about going for a more original feel of CNY by tuning in to China Radio International?
The Beijing broadcaster has been talking a lot about the lunar New Year to its international audiences explaining to them that no one knows exactly when and how the 12 animals in the zodiac calendar were chosen to represent the special years which are also known as the “12 earthly branches.”
CRI can be heard daily at the following times: 12am – 2am, 8am – 10am, 2pm – 4pm and 6pm – midnight.
The frequencies to tune in to are: 7.325 kHz, 41 metres; 9.730 & 9.870kHz, 31m; 11.650, 11.885 & 11.980kHz, 25m; 13.645, 13.590 & 13.720kHz, 22m and 17.710 kHz, 16m.
NOTE: This article ranked at Number 4 in the Top 9 list of The Most Viewed Pages in The Star Online on the day that it was published.
