Kool 101

Kool 101 (formerly Kool FM and then Buletin FM, stylised as KOOL 101) is a Malaysian private radio station owned by Media Prima Berhad through its radio subsidiary, Media Prima Audio, which broadcasts in the Malay language. It was launched on 1 March 2016. It is the fourth radio station from Media Prima Audio after Eight FM, Fly FM, Hot FM and before Molek FM. The radio station is based on the acquisition of Copyright Laureate Sdn. Bhd. in October 2015, which owns Ultra FM and Pi Mai FM.[1] Kool 101 is the first Media Prima radio station to remove the "FM" suffix from its brand name.

Kool 101
Broadcast areaKlang Valley, Penang, Alor Setar and Kuching
Programming
Language(s)Malay
FormatTalk radio (2020-current), Adult contemporary (2020-current), All-news radio (2021-2023), Classic hits (2016-2019)
Ownership
OwnerMedia Prima Bhd. (Kool FM Radio Sdn Bhd)
Eight FM, Fly FM, Hot FM and Molek FM
History
First air date
3 March 2016 (2016-03-03) (as Kool FM)
2 August 2021 (2021-08-02) (as Buletin FM)
3 July 2023 (2023-07-03) (as Kool 101)
Last air date
28 November 2021 (93.6 MHz Kuala Terengganu and 88.6 MHz Kota Bharu)
Links
Webcastdengar.kool101.audio
Websitewww.kool101.audio//

History

2016-2019: Classic hits & adult contemporay format

Originally, Kool FM targeted listeners from the country's Generation X,[2] with songs being played mostly from the 1980s and 1990s, but it also included some songs from the 2000s and 2010s.[3] Depending on what they were playing, the name was based on the band Kool and the Gang.[4]

2020-2021: Shift to talk radio
Logo Of Kool FM 2020-2021

On 3 January 2020, Kool FM rebranded with a new logo. It changed its radio format into talk radio from 6 January with the tagline Suara Semasa, focusing on current affairs, social and community, and various talk and infotainment programmes. The announcers as well as the music playing on the station (80s, 90s and current songs) would remain.[5]

Beginning 4 May 2021, the station broadcast simultaneously on TV9, every day from 3:30 - 4:30 am.

2021-2023: Rebrand to Buletin FM

On 2 August 2021, Kool FM was renamed as Buletin FM and rebranded as the most focused and credible news radio station, with Ally and Hawa (from Malaysia Hari Ini and Buletin Utama TV3 respectively) as the new announcers. Buletin FM will complement TV3's news and current affairs programming and compete with Bernama Radio. The live audio simulcast of Buletin Utama from TV3 began on air from 2 August 2021 to 31 May 2022 every weekday.

On 29 November 2021, Buletin FM broadcasts in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu and Kota Bharu, Kelantan were discontinued. It was replaced by Molek FM on 9 January 2022.

On 14 March 2022, Buletin FM changed its tagline again from "Info Terkini & Muzik Sepanjang Zaman" to "Isu Semasa dan Info Terkini".

From March 28, 2022, Buletin FM no longer broadcast temporarily through the MYTV platform.[6]

2023-now: Rebrand to Kool 101

According to the GfK Radio Audience Measurement Wave 1 2023, Buletin FM recorded 133,000 weekly listeners, the lowest number of weekly listeners recorded on any Media Prima owned stations (compared to the previous Kool FM branding which recorded 701,000 weekly listeners in late 2020).[7] Because such a large number of weekly listeners were lost and its previous role as an all-news radio didn't work well, Buletin FM ceased using the brand on 17 June 2023.

The station was later rebranded as Kool 101 on 3 July 2023. The name "Kool 101" was chosen as it is more relevant to the current situation where most listeners are familiar with the original Kool FM name.[8] The number "101" on the station name refers to giving basic knowledge of the topic, as well as being the frequency used for the Klang Valley. The music playlist has changed to play more Malaysian adult contemporary based music from the 90s to now. Indonesian and English songs were occasionally played with Malay rock jiwang music rarely featured on Kool 101.

Frequency
Frequencies Area Transmitter Note
101.3 MHz Klang Valley Bukit Sungai Besi This frequency was formerly used by Ultra FM.
90.2 MHz Penang and Taiping, Perak Bukit Penara This frequency was formerly used by Pi Mai FM.
107.3 MHz Alor Setar, Kedah and Perlis Alor Setar Tower Starting 6 October 2016
104.3 MHz Kuching, Sarawak Bukit Djin Starting 29 November 2017

Similar radios

References
  1. "Media Prima buys two radio stations!". Marketing Magazine. 5 October 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  2. "New radio channel Kool.FM targets Gen X listeners". TheHive.Asia. The Malay Mail. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  3. Awaina Arbee (1 March 2016). "Kool FM to play songs from the 80s and 90s". New Straits Times. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  4. Rezwana Manjur (4 March 2016). "Media Prima launches fourth radio station". Marketing Interactive. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  5. Serimah Mohd Sallehuddin (3 January 2020). "Kool FM fokus isu semasa, sosial dan komuniti". Berita Harian. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  6. Untuk makluman.
  7. Timothy Tuan (16 April 2023). "Media Prima Audio sees massive increase in weekly listenership". New Straits Times. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  8. Affan Rostam & Iffah Najwa Mohd Zamri (3 July 2023). "Kool 101 nama baharu Buletin FM" (in Malay). Berita Harian. Retrieved 3 July 2023.

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