''So Drama!'' Entertainment (previously SAFRA Radio) is a Singapore
media company
A media conglomerate, media company, media group, or media institution is a company that owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises, such as music, television, radio, publishing, motion pictures, video games, amusement parks, or ...
owned by
SAFRA National Service Association. In their portfolio are four brands -
883Jia,
Power 98, Music and Drama Company and ''PIONEER''.
''PIONEER''
Owned and managed by So Drama! Entertainment, ''PIONEER'' provides news on the
Ministry of Defence
A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...
(MINDEF) and the
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A component of the Ministry of Defence (Singapore), Ministry of D ...
(SAF), and general defence and defence technology news. Originally a print magazine, it went fully digital in 2019.
Music and Drama Company
The Music and Drama Company (MDC) was first formed by Defence Minister
Goh Keng Swee
Goh Keng Swee (born Robert Goh Keng Swee; 6 October 1918 – 14 May 2010) was a Singaporean statesman and economist who served as the second Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1973 and 1985. Goh is widely recognised as one of the fou ...
in 1973 to boost the morale of
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A component of the Ministry of Defence (Singapore), Ministry of D ...
' soldiers through live entertainment and educating them on national duty.
MDC expanded in 1992 to include a choir, a chamber ensemble and a Chinese orchestra.
MDC is based in
Nee Soon Camp
The following is a list of the camps and bases of the Singapore Armed Forces.
Singapore Army camps
Republic of Singapore Navy bases
Republic of Singapore Air Force bases
References
Works cited
*
External links
MINDEF termi ...
and has music studios and a dance studio.
Its radio programme, Forces 55, aired on
SBC radio between 1977 and October 1994. The radio programme ended due to the launch of Power 98.
Notable former members includes rapper
Sheikh Haikel, comedian and director
Jack Neo
Jack Neo Chee Keong (born 24 January 1960) is a Singaporean filmmaker, comedian and actor who was a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 1983 to 2003. He established a unique presence with his genuine and relatable stories that highlight societa ...
, singer and actor
Gurmit Singh and musical artist
Dick Lee
Richard Lee Peng Boon (born 24 August 1956) is a Singaporean singer-songwriter, playwright and film director. Lee was awarded the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's pinnacle arts award, for music in 2005.
Early life
Lee was born to a Peranakan fathe ...
.
Radio
Formerly known as SAFRA Radio, it was renamed as So Drama! Entertainment in 2017. According to the company, it chose the name “So Drama!” because "it’s a quintessentially Singaporean phrase that describes something which moves and amuses you".
The company runs two radio stations – 88.3Jia and Power 98 Love Songs. 88.3Jia first rode the airwaves in 1995, before relaunching in 2007 as Singapore's only bilingual station. The former POWER 98 relaunched as POWER 98 LOVE SONGS in 2019, it's now the first and only English station playing love songs all day.
Additional stations from both 88.3Jia and Power 98 can be heard through their portal Camokakis, which include stations dedicated to
K-pop
K-pop (; an abbreviation of "Korean popular music") is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western Electronic dance music, danc ...
(88.3Jia K-pop) and
classic hits (Power 98 Retro).
Power 98FM and 88.3 Jia moving to digital app, last radio transmission will be on Oct. 30, 2025
FM stations
References
Radio in Singapore
Military of Singapore
Mass media companies established in 1994
Entertainment companies established in 1973
1973 establishments in Singapore
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