New S'pore radio broadcasts from RI

New S'pore radio broadcasts from RI

SINGAPORE (Reuters): An independent Singapore radio news service takes to the airwaves on Friday, broadcasting via Indonesia to provide an alternative to the city state's tightly- controlled media.

Singapore Independent News Service, or Sinews, the brainchild of a group of social activists, will cover the whole spectrum of local news. It will broadcast through independent Indonesian news service Radio 68H.

Sinews founder Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff said the self-funded service was not-for-profit, but Sinews was in discussions with both 68H and a foreign media venture capitalist to work out viable revenue models for the future.

Radio stations must seek the approval of the Singapore Broadcasting Authority to set up shop on the island.

The city-state has 18 free-to-air radio stations which are either pro-government or government affiliated with the exception the World Service.