THAI AND BENGALI RADIO PROGRAMMES

Mr Shriniwas Rai asked the Minister for Information and the Arts whether the Radio Corporation of Singapore will consider broadcasting during the night and public holidays programmes in Thai and Bengali for the benefit of these foreign workers.

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Broadcasts in Thai and Bengali are not commercially viable and will have to be subsidised. With limited frequencies and resources, RCS' current priority is to cater to the needs of Singaporeans.

RCS has an international radio station (FM 96.3) broadcasting in Japanese, French and German. These foreign language broadcasts are privately sponsored.

More foreign language broadcasts may be possible in the future, when digitisation makes available more radio channels and provided there are parties willing to run or sponsor such services.