On December 2015, Star Media Group announced that Red FM and Capital FM would be the last day of broadcasting on 31st December 2015 due to these two stations lost the revenue.
31st of December 2015, also the last day of 2015. I was listening to Red FM, from lunch hours, and back to home. My car radio stuck to FM 104.9MHz, even I tuned to 104.9Mhz until midnight. That time was the last day of Red FM. When it came to the corner, around 11.59pm, the station was nearly off air.
I did not turn off the radio when it came to 2359 hours, but I continued to listen to Red FM until 12.30 am, which was on 1st January 2016. Red FM and Capital FM started to play non-stop music (automation mode) from 1st January 2016, but Capital FM was earlier to start automation mode than Red FM.
Both radio stations have no any DJs, but only kept airing only news and traffic updates, even some advertisement.
Many people speculated that Red FM and Capital FM will not be sold off, but performed rebranding exercise. During these 8 months, I monitored these two stations occasionally and intermittently, although I listened to BFM 89.9.
None of any new updates from these radio stations yet until today.
Initially I believed only that Capital FM would be sold out and Red FM will be remained, but all speculation are false. I was told that Red FM and Capital FM studio equipment were being sold out, this gave me the hint that these two stations will be definitely sold out.
Talk about BFM 89.9... BFM 89.9 is seeking for Penang frequency, I was involved as volunteer. That time I had suggested BFM 89.9 to buy the frequency from Capital FM, which was 107.6MHz, but BFM 89.9 told me that Star did not decide to sell to them, and the amount of this acquisition costed about RM20Millions.
BFM launch Penang frequency..
- Acquired frequency from Capital FM 107.6
- Launch brand new transmitter in Bukit Tokun on FM 103.0MHz
Both I suggested, but in terms of costs, launching in Bukit Tokun 103.0MHz is cheaper than acquiring frequency from Capital FM.
Few weeks ago, I met a staff from The Star (not to mention the person name due to sensitivity) and we talked about Red FM and Capital FM. She stated that currently Star is seeking buyers to buy over these two radio stations, but during these eight months, currently nobody buys the stations as the acquisition costs are very expensive enough. It's RM 20Millions, this is definitely not a joke. RM20Millions cash can buy many things, at least can buy about 15 units of Maserati or Ferrari.
Last few months, I also received the rumors about Media Prima will take over Red FM frequencies for Kool FM, but I did not see actions from Media Prima to buy Red FM.
Another rumors stated that Red FM and Capital FM will be sold to Astro Radio, but it is unofficial yet.
Astro Radio currently operated nine FM radio stations nationwide, there are:
- Hitz FM (English; target younger listeners)
- Mix FM (English; 1990s-beyond and target urban listeners)
- Lite FM (English; easy listening and classic hits)
- My FM (Chinese; Adult contemporary)
- Melody FM (Chinese; classic hits from 1970s-80s-90s and some 2000s)
- ERA FM (Malay; adult contemporary)
- Sinar FM (Malay; classic hits)
- THR Raaga (Tamil)
- THR Gegar (Malay East Coast)
If Red FM and Capital FM joins Astro Radio, what will be happened? Let's speculate
1. Could THR.FM be disbanded, THR Raaga and Gegar operate independently under Astro?
- Because of license condition, THR Raaga currently is unable to launch in Kuantan, then THR Gegar is unable to launch in West Coast
2. THR Gegar use Red FM frequencies in West Coast, then THR Raaga use Red FM Kuantan frequency
3. Can it become possible that Astro launch a brand new Tamil radio station, which target serious and mature Tamil listeners like Lite FM, Sinar FM and Melody FM?
4. Could Astro relaunch Xfresh again, which was closed down on 9th July 2012?
5. Could Astro launch sports news radio on Red FM frequencies?
If THR FM takes over the frequency from Red FM and Capital FM, it can be happened like this below:
== THR Raaga==
- 99.3MHz: Klang Valley and Penang
- 102.1MHz: Taiping
- 97.9MHz: Ipoh
- 101.5MHz: Negeri Sembilan
- 103.7MHz: Johor Bahru
- 102.4MHz: Kedah, Perlis
- 101.9MHz: Langkawi
- 99.7MHz: Melaka
- 91.6MHz: Kuantan (from Red FM)
==THR Gegar==
- 88.8MHz: Kuantan
- 88.1MHz: Kota Bharu
- 106.8MHz: Kuala Terengganu
- 104.9MHz: Klang Valley
- 89.1MHz: Seremban (change the frequency of Capital FM 88.9 and shift to Gunung Telapak Burok; 88.9MHz will be empty in Klang Valley)
- 98.9MHz: Melaka
- 92.8MHz: Johor Bahru
- 98.1MHz: Kedah, Perlis, Penang
- 106.4MHz: Ipoh
- 107.5MHz: Taiping (modify the frequency of Capital FM 107.6 and shift to Bukit Larut)
Or a brand new Tamil classic radio station by these frequencies?
==New Tamil classic radio station/OSAI FM==
- 104.9MHz: Klang Valley
- 89.1MHz: Seremban (change
the frequency of Capital FM 88.9 and shift to Gunung Telapak Burok;
88.9MHz will be empty in Klang Valley)
- 98.9MHz: Melaka
- 92.8MHz: Johor Bahru
- 98.1MHz: Kedah, Perlis, Penang
- 106.4MHz: Ipoh
- 107.5MHz: Taiping (modify the frequency of Capital FM 107.6 and shift to Bukit Larut)
- 91.6MHz: Kuantan
Anyway these speculations are unofficial and not accurate at all, what we need is the official statement from Astro and Star Media Group.
