Looking to send out waves of excitement over your next campaign in Malaysia and Indonesia?
Media
Looking to
send out waves of excitement over your next campaign in Malaysia and Indonesia?
Radio broadcasting has long been a
pillar of advertising and marketing throughout the years. Accessible almost
everywhere, the cheerful, happy voice you hear in the mornings on your way to
work and the chill, soothing voice you hear when you relax at night are all
part of radio broadcasts, and their ability to relate news, affairs, music, and
advertisement in a way that is welcome and affable.
Even in Southeast Asia, there
are many radio broadcasting stations that cater to a wide variety of listeners
and marketers. We’ll be looking at the top radio stations in the region, and
what they can offer for your next campaign sound wave.
INDONESIA - Having come a long way from the days under strict
control and regulation, Indonesian media is now regarded as one of the freest
media industries in the region. There are more than 2,000 radio stations in
Indonesia, but only a few have national reach and coverage.
Commercially owned Prambors FM is a music
station targeting teenagers and young adults. It was also known as the station that started several singers’
careers throughout the years, including critically acclaimed singer Chrisye.
Radio DJs were almost always young adults, helping the station continue being
relatable to their target audience.
State owned Radio Republik Indonesia,
or RRI, is home to 4 radio networks,
with Pro 3, its national news network, broadcasting on 2 different frequencies
in the Jakarta area, and by satellite in many other Indonesian cities. Besides
Pro 3, Pro 1 focuses on information, education, entertainment and culture, and
is broadcasted through several regional radio stations, like the two remaining
networks, Pro 2 and Pro 4. Pro 2 focuses on music and lifestyle, while Pro 4
focuses on mainly education and culture.
RRI also established the Voice
of Indonesia (VOI) that broadcasts all over Indonesia as well as abroad for any
Indonesians living abroad as well as foreigners interested in the going-ons of
Indonesia. VOI broadcasts in 8 different languages, including Bahasa Indonesia
and English, with the stations being broadcasted 24 hours over the internet,
and 12 hours on shortwave.
MALAYSIA - Right above us and across the causeway bay,
Malaysia is home to a vibrant alternative media scene, having been grown due to
the Malaysian government’s pledge to not censor the internet. While the
government owns 44 radio stations, there are 24 privately owned stations in the
country as well.
Three big players rule the
scene, with Radio
Televisyen Malaysia being the first broadcaster in Malaysia. It’s home
to 7 national stations, including TraXX FM, an English speaking station with a
wide broadcast to neighbouring countries as well as Malaysia, focused on more
travel-oriented content, before switching to more informational content, and
playing contemporary hits. Similarly, Ai FM is a Mandarin language station
focused on informational content and the contemporary hits, with Minnal FM
being the Indian counterpart, and Nasional FM the Malay counterpart.
Media
Prima Berhad is a government-linked
media company that owns 4 radio stations, with Hot FM and Kool FM being
Malay-language broadcasting stations, and Fly FM broadcasting in
English while One FM broadcasting in Mandarin. While Kool FM focuses more on
Malaysia’s Generation X, playing hits from the 1980s and the 1990s, Hot FM focuses on the
contemporary hits now. Both stations broadcast general informational content.
Fly
FM is the first radio station ever to be situated in an airport, targeted
at listeners aged 15 to 33 years old, as a contemporary hits radio station.
Furthermore, One FM follows the same format as a contemporary hits radio
station for Mandarin listeners.
Astro Radio Sdn Bhd owns 9 radio stations, and revolutionised the
Malaysian radio industry by introducing format-specific programming. Hitz FM and Mix FM are English
broadcasting stations, with Hitz focused more on younger listeners, while Mix
focuses on more mature listeners. Era FM is the first
private radio station to broadcast fully in the Malay language, the market
before that being completely government-dominated, while My FM focuses on the
Mandarin speaking crowd.
Ready to revolutionise the
airwaves with your next campaign? Check out one of the radio
stations listed above, and let your campaign jingle their way into the
hearts of Southeast Asia!