Rediffusion rescued by former DJ Madam Chang

Singapore's only subscription-based radio broadcaster Rediffusion has been given a new lease of life. 

Former radio DJ Madam Chang Mei Hsiang has bought over Rediffusion in an effort to bring back the iconic radio service - which shut down in April 30, as losses piled up.

She will call it the "Voice of Singapore" Rediffusion. 

And she hopes it will start its broadcast in 2013. 

Now a Chinese-language school principal, Madam Chang said she has fond memories of Rediffusion, which she joined in 1985  after arriving in Singapore from Taiwan and was one of the most popular DJs, who enjoyed the support of many listeners.

Madam Chang has also bought all of Rediffusion's archives and equipment. 

She said that while she was happy to preserve the radio service, she hopes future programmes will not let down listeners.

"Rediffusion does not belong to me, i think it belongs to Singapore. In the next step, I really hope Rediffusion is voice of Singapore. Because that's the history property for all Singaporeans. In future, Rediffusion not focused on young people, or old generation. We will have a lot of different kind of programmes." 

Rediffusion is Singapore's only subscription-based radio broadcaster. 

In its heyday, it attracted more than 100,000 subscribers who tuned in for everything from American rock 'n' roll music to Chinese dialect programmes by master storytellers such as Lee Dai Sor, Ng Chia Kheng and Ong Toh.