MxMIndia

Category: RADIO

  • Dentsu Impact also handles the creative duties for Hindustan Times and Hindustan Hindi – the two leading dailies from the HT Media group

    Dentsu Impact bags digital mandate for HT’s radio biz

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Impact, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has added the mandate to its recently established Social Media Division, Dentsu Impact Digital.

     

    The agency has been awarded the digital mandate for all three radio businesses of the HT Media Group –  Fever FM, Radio Nasha and Radio One. Dentsu Impact also handles the creative duties for Hindustan Times and Hindustan Hindi – the two leading dailies from the HT Media group.

     

    Rajan Bhalla

    Speaking on the development, Rajan Bhalla, Chief Marketing Officer, HT Media said: “We have been associated with Dentsu Impact for a long time and have immense trust in the capabilities of the team. The agency’s forward-thinking approach in embracing the evolving market today, and the intent of giving us synergised solutions for digital and offline is something that helped us come to this decision. We hope to see some great work being rolled out soon.”

     

    Amit Wadhwa

    Added Amit Wadhwa, President, Dentsu Impact: “At Dentsu Impact, we have a clear vision of becoming a truly digitally enabled agency, and that was the thinking behind setting up our social media division. It is extremely encouraging to see clients embrace our vision and see the kind of value we bring in.  Our relationship with HT Media is an old one and one that we really cherish, and we are thankful to them for placing their trust in us once again.”

     

     

  • The show was launched with legendary singer Asha Bhonsle

    FM Tadka launches ‘Tadka Soul Studio Guest Nights’

    By A Correspondent

     

    FM Tadka has launched ‘Tadka Soul Studio Guest Nights’ with a view to spark conversation around meaningful lyrics and encouraging independent artists. The show was launched with legendary singer Asha Bhonsle who spoke about the voice being supreme in the song, saying she believed singers need to convey the emotion of the lyrics through their voices.

     

    Said Gaurav S Karrir, National Programming Head: “It is these conversations about the evolution of the music industry we want to keep featuring so that the relevance of melodies and such voices are kept alive.”

     

     

  • The campaign will be live till January 3, 2020

    Oyo unveils ‘Raho Mast’ campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Oyo Hotels & Homes has rolled out its new campaign – ‘OYO, Raho Mast’. The five-week-long burst is live across television, digital and social media platforms.

     

    Reflecting on the television campaign, Aditya Ghosh, CEO, India & South Asia, Oyo Hotels and Homes said: “We are excited about this new Raho Mast brand campaign. Great brands are built when you are answering to the consumer’s needs, doing it consistently and delivering on your promises. With its funny, quirky and yet relevant approach, the Raho Mast brand campaign reflects on what the average Indian consumer goes through and how Oyo can help make the experience hasslefree at every touchpoint. The red and white Oyo sign stands for our enduring belief that low cost has nothing to do with low quality.”

     

     

  • Through Frequen-See, the radio station aims to reach out to the sound-deprived community of 18 million Indians

    Big FM reaches out to the hearing impaired with Frequen-See

    By A Correspondent

     

    Big FM has launched Frequen-See, ian initiative to make radio accessible for the hearing-impaired community. This innovation has been brought about via a web application that has been created especially for people with a hearing impairment. It performs real-time transcription of speech and sound to help them discover what’s being streamed live on air.

    https://www.facebook.com/bigfmindia/videos/436015937312445/

    Speaking on the launch of this innovation, an unnamed spokesperson from the radio network said: “Though radio has always been one of the biggest mediums of entertainment for millions of people, there are about 18 million people who are hearing impaired today. For this set of audience who were not a part of the radio’s universe earlier, Big FM now brings them under one umbrella. We are extremely proud to introduce this path-breaking innovation, Frequen-See which will not only change the game of radio but will reach way beyond.”

     

     

  • The campaign will run in order to mobilize the listeners and talents across all the seven states and 30 cities

    My FM puts women’s safety at the core with its latest ad campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    My FM has launched ‘My FM hai Why FM- Sawal Uthao Beti Bachao’ campaign that aims to highlight questions on why we still do not have a sense of security and why is society, administration and the media not doing enough on the issue of women’s safety. The campaign will run in order to mobilize the listeners and talents across all the seven states and 30 cities.

     

    Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Vinay Manek, National Programming Head, My FM, said: “Women safety is one of the biggest concerns with national prominence to our society. We at My FM felt it’s our duty to bring a campaign that will not only create awareness but also provide strength to women across the nation with ‘Sawal Uthao Beti Bachao’ initiative. This is our first step towards women safety, where questions on their security, education system and various other aspects will be discussed. We aim to promote the same across all our stations and make our women feel safe in our country.”

     

     

  • The on air culmination will take place on February 8 and will be on air from 5-9pm with a repeat on Sunday

    My FM launches ‘Ek Aur Award’

    By A Correspondent

     

    My FM has launched ‘Ek Aur Award’, an awards show that takes a satirical dig on major events and personalities that were in the limelight in 2019. These are consumer choice awards, where listeners have voted for various categories. The on air culmination will take place on 8th February and will be on air from 5-9pm with a repeat on Sunday, Feb 9 at 2pm on across the network.

     

    Speaking on introducing Ek Aur Awards, Vinay Manek Singh, Programming Head, My FM said: “It’s fun, edgy and intends to add a lot of pun! The idea is to spice things-up in our existing bouquet of shows. After getting a lot of warmth in its first season, we decided tobring these back for our listeners. It also extends the right of decision making to our listeners where, by voting, they can choose the winners in various categories. We are excited and hope to receive a lot of positive engagement from our listeners.”

     

     

  • Radio fascinates visually impaired people, because they can easily relate to it and there is no discrimination there, writes Shruti Pushkarna

    Time to welcome Diversity in Radio?

     

    By Shruti Pushkarna

     

    Shruti PushkarnaAs you read this, commercial and state-owned radio stations all across the world are celebrating this day on air. Yes, it’s World Radio Day today.

     

    Surely a medium that has managed to stay relevant for over 120 years (since the first radio device was invented by Guglielmo Marconi in 1899) calls for celebration.

     

    With new technology and increasing penetration, the content development business is more dynamic than ever. Radio too has been experimenting with various avatars when it comes to programming models or expansion on digital platforms.

     

    But what hasn’t changed is its devoted listenership, which cuts across culture, age, ethnicity, gender, religion, economics and so on. I start my day with tuning in to my favourite station every morning as I drive to work. You can hear the radio blaring in the local chaiwallah’s shop (no reference to our dear PM here!). Cab drivers, hawkers, housewives, college students, senior citizens, all take in their daily diet of radio content.

     

    Another ardent group of listeners are millions of visually impaired citizens living in different nooks of our country. Did you know that 20% of the global blind population resides in India? That’s around 63 million people according to the World Health Organisation.

     

    And this large section of the population depends on radio for not just entertainment but information. Like several persons with disabilities, blind people are often treated as a burden by their families. Confined in the four walls of their homes, they remain isolated from the society. Deprived of education, they have little or no access to information.

     

    They find a friend in the RJ, solace in music and in that moment, the impairment ceases to be.  As part of my work, in an interaction with a parent, I learned that his 14-year-old blind boy who was absolutely tucked away from the outside world had no skills of communication or the ability to carry out any activities of daily living. But he could sing and dance because he listened to radio for most part of the day.

     

    In this cricket-loving nation, sighted fans may have moved on to mobile devices for live video streaming, but a visually impaired fan still tunes in to the good old radio commentary.

     

    Radio fascinates visually impaired people, because they can easily relate to it. There is no discrimination there, in terms of lack of access.

     

    The question is: are radio producers aware of this audience and their needs? Are they devising any content that is targeted towards the average visually impaired listener? There are a lot of social campaigns various stations undertake. They align with a cause, person or an organisation and garner support through their wide reach.

     

    I feel radio can contribute a great deal by initiating a campaign to sensitise people about the challenges faced by visually impaired people. Or let’s say how to offer help to a blind person you may encounter on a street, on the metro, in a bus or at an airport.

     

    Radio also has the potential to offer employment to blind people. India’s first visually impaired radio jockey K Srikanth started off his career with All India Radio and later worked with the BBC. There are private and non-profit institutions that offer courses in storytelling and radio jockeying. Among the section of blind people that has access to mainstream education and technology, there are many students who opt for media courses.

     

    Not long ago, I’d engaged with a graduate in mass communication from Bengaluru who wanted to become an RJ. He found no luck because he was blind. This young boy was well verse with technology, had acquired all skills of scripting, editing etc. He needed professional training like all newbies do, that’s all.

     

    This year the theme of World Radio Day is ‘Radio and Diversity’.  Perhaps a cue for the radio industry to promote inclusion and educate the society about ‘diverse’ needs of people who are just as equal citizens of India as you and I.

     

    Shruti Pushkarna is a former journalist (part of the founding team of MxMIndia) who has now moved full-time to the social sector. She heads operations of the New Delhi-based Score Foundation where she works as Director-Programmes & Communications. She writes for MxMIndia every other Thursday. Her views here are personal. She can be reached via Twitter at @shrutipushkarna

  • The agency has bagged nine clients in the recent past. And it’s won several awards, including the mother-of-all, the Grand Effie at the recent Effie’s Awards

    82.5 celebrates anniv, with many wins and awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    It was a celebration with a difference. The media was invited to a potluck, with senior staff from the now-not-so-new 82.5 Communications. So Chairman and Chief Creative Officer Sumanto Chattopadhyay brought in some Kosha Mangsho (Bangla Mutton Curry) made by his all-new Bong cook. Co-chairman and CEO Kapil Arora brought in some Chholay Masala and pickle and green chutney. Some amazingly tasty kheer with understated sugar by Mayur Verma. Samrat Bedi brought in the cake. As did WPP’s CFO in India Inigo Franco. And so on.

     

    The objective was to celebrate the first anniversary of the Ogilvy group’s 82.5 Communications. Piyush Pandey, Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide & Executive Chairman, India, The Ogilvy Group was in the house, and sitting along with Arora and Chattopadhyay to speak to the media.

     

    So well among other things, the agency has bagged nine clients in the recent past. And it’s won several awards, including the mother-of-all, the Grand Effie at the recent Effie’s Awards.

     

    It may be recalled that last year, Soho Square, the second agency from the Ogilvy India stable, was relaunched as 82.5. The new agency also subsumed all of Bates’s business.

     

    We asked both Pandey and Arora about why the Bisleri entry that bagged the Grand Effie wasn’t entered as an Ogilvy group entry. Had they done that – as some other agencies also club the work of their group, Ogilvy would’ve been a solo #1 and not having had to share honours with McCann. To be fair, in Effie’s 2014 too, Ogilvy was #1 and Soho Square with #5 and had bagged the Grand Effie for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) election campaign. So the policy to give the smaller sibling agency a distinct identity is not new.

     

    Here’s what Arora said to the media:

    While Sumanto spoke to you about our work, our creative talent, our accolades, I would also like to shine a light on where we are on the individual things we set out to achieve in the last year:

     

    1. Build a profile of interesting India first businesses that resonates with our positioning.  90% of our client mix comprises India-first clients.  We also have global brands come to us, like Milo, which wanted a Tamil Nadu-out insight reflected in their work.  So they too see value in our India first expertise and approach.

     

    2. Open platform model – as a small outfit, it made absolute sense to keep brand custodianship, strategy and content expertise in house, while working with partners to offer allied services in media, social, PR, retail and activation.  In implementing that model, we had a few learnings and have since pivoted to build that circle of partners within WPP alone.  This helps us retain better quality control and ownership for our clients and a move like the WPP campus really aids is in that regard.

     

    3. Language first – we’ve already built in house language thinking expertise beyond Hindi and English, starting with Bengali, Marathi and Tamil.  This repertoire will continue to increase through a mix of in house talent and a circle of friends from the local film and theatre circuits

     

    4. Business – I’ve been here six months and I can tell you the energy has been electric.  Our mandates with our largest clients ITC, Himalaya, ACC, Bisleri have significantly strengthened.  We’ve won 9 of our last 11 pitches.  And bagged mandates from Nestle Milo, a few dairy projects with them as well, IDBI bank, Haldirams North, Hero Lectro, a few brands from the RSPL group, Campus Shoes, Pearson education and Jeeru – a jeera-based carbonated beverage right here in Mumbai.

     

    5. Elbows in approach to brands – with the coming in of Rishabha Nayyar, our National Planning Lead, he’s championed a whole new elbows in approach of getting to know consumers under the skin.  Every client-facing employee is encouraged to meet consumers one on one, before reaching the solutioning stage.  Little wonder that clients are looking at us for more upstream conversations, including a few strategy-only mandates, like FirstCry.

     

  • All private FM radio players have written to the Union minister of Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar

    FM players reach out to govt for bailout

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Association of Radio Operators (AROI), the apex body of radio broadcasters in the countyr, has reached out to the Government of India seeking a bailout package in view of the severe impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on the industry.

     

    All private FM radio players have written to the Union minister of Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar about industry going through a tough phase with advertising revenues shrinking over the past year, coupled with a steep fall in government ads, and hoped the government will consider its requests for certain concessions it had sought in December 2019. The impact had worsened with the sudden outbreak of pandemic Covid-19 globally leading to services sectors and brands cutting back on advertising spends.

     

    The industry has collectively asked for a three-pronged bailout package till the economy stabilises. This included a one-year moratorium on all licence fees and charges by the government and Prasar Bharti, and restoration of government advertising on radio, besides clearing the long-pending payments from the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity.

     

     

  • Red FM is doing every bit to ensure mass awareness while maintaining safety of their staff

    Red FM encourages social distancing via latest ad campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    After launching a national awareness campaign ‘Care Karona’, 93.5 Red FM is now urging people to practice social distancing amid Coronavirus pandemic and stay at home. Red FM has come-up with a creative rendition of its logo to emphasise on the importance of social distancing.

     

    Notes a communique: “Whether it is exclusive interviews with medical experts, RJs doing 20 seconds speed links in their shows with an alarm that highlights the importance of hygiene, taking-up WHO’s ‘Safe Hands Challenge’ or giving Work From Home to all their employees, Red FM is doing every bit to ensure mass awareness while maintaining safety of their staff.”

     

     

  • Time spent listening to radio increases to 2.36 hours everyday

    AROI conducts listenership study during lockdown

    By A Correspondent

     

    People trust FM stations as credible sources of info. According to the latest research by AZ Research, people across a sample size of 3300 people among 18+ urban agglomeration population, 82 per cent people have been tuning in to radio during Covid-19, with FM channels emerging as the second-most credible source of information for the masses. As per the research, radio has a credibility score of 6.27, second only to the internet which is at 6.44 and TV at 5.74.

     

    Infact, the radio industry witnesses a listenership of 51 million people, which is nearly as much as television’s reach of 56 million and social media’s reach of 57 million. A few more noteworthy highlights of the research include radio’s at home listenership which has increased by 22 per cent and has grown from 64 to 86 per cent. The time that people spend listening to radio has increased by 23 per cent to 2.36 hours everyday during the lockdown, second only to television. (* Source: All SEC 18 + UA : Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune & Hyderabad)

     

    Said Anuradha Prasad, President of the Association of Radio Operators for India (AROI): “Radio has always been a powerful medium to reach the masses at all times. The findings of this study go on to show how important radio is, especially in a country like India. I am immensely grateful for the constant love and support that we have received all through the years. We will collectively keep trying to do our best, even in tough times like these.”

     

    Added Nisha Narayanan, Director and COO, Red FM and Magic FM: “Radio has been playing a much bigger role, it has been able to unite the linguistic and ethnic diversity and connect people from all backgrounds with its numerous arrays of frequency. Radio offers last mile connectivity and the latest findings have proved once again that it’s a powerful and trusted medium to deliver messages to the audience. We would like to thank all our listeners who have supported us and believed in the power of radio.”

     

     

  • It will be telecast daily at 7.30 pm followed by its repeat telecast at 9.30 am

    Dangal too airs ‘Ramayana’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hindi GEC Dangal has also bought back mythological epic, ‘Ramayana’ starring Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee in lead roles. It will be telecast daily at 7.30 pm followed by its repeat telecast at 9.30 am.

     

    On bringing back Ramayana, a Dangal spokesperson said: “At Dangal, we are committed to keeping our viewers entertained especially during unprecedent times like these. Over the years, our viewers have supported us and it is now upon public demand that we have brought back one of India’s most followed epics and revered show of all times, Ramayana. By showcasing a culturally rooted show like Ramayana with traditional ideologies and strongly entrenched lessons, we are sure that viewers will stay engaged while staying safe indoors. Moreover, while Ramayana will invoke nostalgia among the older generations, it will be a new and beautiful experience for the younger audience.”