MxMIndia

Tag: Nisha Narayanan

  • The anonymous caller chose RJ Raunac because of his bond and rapport with people in Delhi

    93.5 Red FM launches a unique initiative

     

     

    93.5 RED FM has come up with a first of its kind initiative-“Raunac Ki Dilli – 10 Lakh Tere Haath”. RED FM’s RJ Raunac, who is a youth icon, has been given the responsibility by an unknown listener of RED FM to find out the right person to whom Rs 10 lakh can be handed over.

     

    RJ Raunac, who had urged the people to vote through RED FM’s mega campaign—Dabaa ke Bajaa during the elections, will now ask the listeners to tell him about their needs, struggles and dreams which they think they can address if they get the donated amount of Rs 10 Lakh. The anonymous caller chose RJ Raunac because of his bond and rapport with people in Delhi.

     

    Nisha Narayanan

    Commenting on the initiative, Nisha Narayanan, COO, 93.5 RED FM said, “Radio has emerged as a very powerful medium of entertainment as well as information dissemination in this day and age. With brands using radio not only to drive perception but also realising the strength of the voices on air as trusted ambassadors, radio has indeed entered a new level of engagement. The power of this medium is further reinstated through initiatives like these. The fact that people believe in radio as a rightful medium to help in causes like these proves how a mass medium can also be uniquely personal. As a brand, we are extremely proud that Raunac was chosen as the face of the campaign and we hope that he fulfills his responsibility completely”.

     

    The initiative started last week with a call from a mysterious benefactor who called up RJ Raunac on the show Morning No 1, urging him to take his case forward with Delhiites. RED FM has cross-checked the identity of the benefactor and has come to know that the motive of the benefactor is genuine.

     

    Listeners need to register with RED FM and share their stories on the IVR phone number given by RJ Raunac. Listeners who register for the initiative will be shortlisted by Raunac based on the story and the need of the person. The selected stories will be aired on RED FM and the final winner will be selected on 21st Nov based on voting by listeners in Delhi.

     

  • RED FM is ready with yet another entertainment event titled 'Paisa Vasool Entertainment with Kapil Sharma and RJ Raunac'

    Kapil Sharma to host an entertainment show for Red LiVE

    By A Correspondent

     

    Under its successful intellectual property RED LiVE, known for organizing music concerts and live shows, RED FM is ready with yet another entertainment event titled ‘Paisa Vasool Entertainment with Kapil Sharma and RJ Raunac’.

     

    Stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma popular for programmes such as ‘Comedy Circus Ke Superstar’, ‘Comedy Circus Ka Naya Daur’ and ‘Kahani Comedy Ki’ has been roped in for the first time by RED FM. The comedian, who was ranked 96 in the top 100 celebrities of 2013 by Forbes India magazine, is currently hosting ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’ on a mainstream entertainment channel.

     

    The event is scheduled to be held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi on Saturday, July 5, 2014. The sought-after artist will be seen entertaining the guests with his impeccable sense of humour and liveliness along with other supporting artists. As per RED FM’s tradition to bring wholesome entertainment, there will be surprise in store for the fans as well. RED FM’s RJ, Raunac, known for playing pranks with the listeners will join Kapil for some fun and also give an open challenge to the fans, details of which will be announced soon.

     

    Nisha Narayanan

    Nisha Narayanan, COO, RED FM, said, “RED LiVE has been a phenomenal success and has received fabulous response from the people across metros and Tier-2 and 3 cities. The vertical has seen the biggest and the most popular artists performing LiVE for our listeners. The two successful seasons of RED LiVE saw concerts in markets like Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Jamshedpur, Nashik, Kanpur, Bhopal etc. and the overwhelming response we received, has strengthened our confidence in the vertical.”

     

    Adding further she said, “We decided to rope in Kapil Sharma because he is the biggest comedian in the country and being a Punjabi himself gives him an instant connect with the audiences in Delhi and North. We are very excited about expanding the scope of RED LiVE from just Music to Comedy as well. With the strong IP that brand RED has built, and with the kind of response we have been receiving to our events, we are now all set for the biggest RED LiVE gig so far. It is very encouraging to see our confidence in RED LiVE getting reflected amongst our listeners, advertisers and partners as well.”

     

  • Red FM RJs shine in Mumbai & Delhi bagging the most popular tag

    Red FM RJs outshine others in Delhi & Mumbai, notes Ormax

    By a correspondent

     

    A study released by research entity Ormax Media has put RJs from 93.5 Red FM as the most popular among the top 5 RJs across Mumbai and Delhi.

     

    According to the study, RJ Malishka was the most popular RJ in Mumbai for the third time in a row while RJ Rishi Kapoor seized the fourth spot on the list. In Delhi, RJ Swati is at No. 2 followed by RJ Raunac occupying the fifth spot. RJ Devaki in Ahmedabad and RJ Prateek in Lucknow both occupied the second spot in their respective markets.

     

    Since 2009, this periodic survey by Ormax Media identifies the most popular RJs in more than 15 markets. It help stations take content and communication decisions accordingly.

     

    Nisha Narayanan

    Commenting on this achievement, Nisha Narayanan, COO, 93.5 RED FM said, “It is a proud moment for us, as our RJs have once again been recognized for their talent and hard-work. Recognitions like these only help talents to raise their benchmarks and perform better. With our RJs amongst the top 5 in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, I am sure that as results are declared for the other cities as well, we will do well in them too.”

     

  • In a quick Q&A, Red FM COO Nisha Narayanan talks of how 2013 was for her radio, her plans for the stations in 2014 and where the radio sector is headed in adspends this year

    Jaldi 5 with Nisha Narayanan: Small cities will be as important as Delhi or Mumbai

    With its ‘Bajaate Raho’ credo, Red FM has been making an impact – with content innovations as well as embarking on marketing tie-ups and affiliations to gain salience. Red Live, the network’s onground music and events has been very active and according to COO Nisha Narayanan, smaller, regional markets will see growth this year. In a quick Q&A with MxMIndia, Ms Narayanan talks of how 2013 was for Red FM and plans for this year as well as her forecast for the entire radio sector in terms of adspends in 2014.

     

    01. How was the year 2013 for Red FM?

    It has been a very busy and rewarding year for Red FM. Even though the metro markets were slow initially, the non-metros compensated by showing good growth. In terms of brand, we engaged our listeners and clients with some very interesting innovations on-air, on-ground and digitally. From our concerts under the Red Live vertical in Delhi and smaller towns like Varanasi and Guwahati to our programming-led activities such as Sachin-200 and Bigg Boss integration, the year has been abuzz with innovations. We have had some very good client-based innovations across our markets, such as Thappa and Tashanbaaz. Our digital wing has been engaging listeners online by continuously giving them interesting content. The Red FM Facebook page reached a milestone of half million likes and is a sizeable community for any brand.

     

    And what plans for 2014?

    2014 is expected to be a somewhat slow year in terms of market buoyancy. Regional markets will be very important and one of the keys to growth in 2014. As bigger markets get saturated, smaller towns will emerge with a vast potential which has not been realized yet. For Red FM, small cities across the country will be as important as Delhi or Mumbai.

     

    Most of 2013 was spent in waiting for Phase 3. Do you see it happening before the elections and ahead of the time the election Code of Conduct gets into force?

    We are still not very clear on when the Phase 3 will come in, where we are headed, what happens once the present license period gets over, and what kind of migration fee we would have to pay. We have already submitted our recommendations to TRAI.

     

    Though we would be happy to see Phase 3 earlier, but looks like it has been put on the backburner once again and will only happen after the general elections now.

     

    02. You spoke on digital… are you looking at an online rebroadcast of your stations?

    Our key focus in 2014 will be on digital engagement. Be it streaming music or offering more differentiated products digitally as extension of the radio brand, digital is one strong wing that any radio station today will have to eventually get into. The competition here will not be between different radio stations, but between radio and technology. The natural progression for the radio industry is to move towards digital. As and when the government policy allows us, we will be more than happy to broadcast Red FM online. It is imperative for a radio brand to have a strong digital presence as most of radio consumers are very active on the digital space and it is important for any radio brand to engage with them there. Digital is the way forward and a leader brand like Red FM will be present in anything that the youth (in terms of age or at heart) consumes. The consumption of internet in India is growing every day, and Red FM believes in remaining in tune with the times. With almost 50% of consumption of internet being on smartphones, it is important to be constantly innovate therefore. Red FM as a brand will keep on extending itself on these platforms.

     

    03. Tell us more about Red Live. And what plans do you have for it? Could it be an independent P/L?

    Red Live is Red FM’s IPR, under which we offer Live Super Hit music experiences to audiences in the form of concerts and other entertainment gigs. It helps us have a deeper level of engagement with the audience in a medium (radio) where one hardly gets to see the Voice one loves. Interactions with listeners on-ground help in creating a connect which would stay long after the radio has been switched off. They help in getting the brand and the RJs directly in touch with their listeners. 2013 has been a very good year for Red Live. With Mika Singh in Delhi, Sugandha Mishra in Varanasi and Zubeen Garg in Guwahati, we have had a rocking year in terms of Live music gigs across country.

     

    We will continue to grow Red Live in 2014, organising gigs every quarter, and expanding into both metros and non-metros. The year gone by with numerous successful concerts has strengthened our confidence in Red Live, and we plan to make it bigger and better in 2014. Innovation, consistency and excellence in the experiences offered to customers will be the mantra to success for its success.

     

    04. The adspend forecast for radio for the year 2014 is varied. ZenithOptimedia says it’s 5 percent while that of MagnaGlobal is 11%. Even the MagnaGlobal estimate has gone down from last year. Your comments?

    Even though 2013 was not a very industry-friendly year and so most of the agencies have lowered their growth expectations, the sentiments for 2014 are buoyant. Adex estimates suggest radio industry having shown a growth of 15% year-on-year in 2013. All three metro markets have shown a healthy double digit growth due to revival of real estate, BFSI, white goods and retail spending.

     

    We are expecting it to continue showing double digit growth in 2014 as well. With the general elections and elections in several state assemblies scheduled to be held 2014, political parties’ spending will be a substantial driver of revenue for radio. Adcap on TV Broadcasters will also help radio increase its share in the advertising pie as media planners are trying to diversify budgets and take maximum ROI on their money by better media mix of Print, TV, Radio, OOH and digital. Although expansion through phase III is being planned, the impact of that will be seen once we have more clarity on when and how it is happening.

     

    While one can look at healthy double digit YoY growth in H1 of 2014, the H2 should see flat growth till festive season, post which the spends should again pick up. Overall, one can expect radio growth to be in the range of 5-10% YoY in 2014.

     

    05. Is independent news on the FM radio anywhere on the horizon?

    The government considering to lift ban from news on private and community radio stations is a step in the right direction. It is high time we relooked at the rules that bar private FM radio channels from broadcasting news and current affairs. Radio, being the most accessible medium, is in fact the most suitable for mass dissemination of news and information. Indian FM stations are an anomaly in that none of the private radio stations in the USA, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Australia or most of the countries of the world are barred from airing news and related content.

     

    News and current affairs are the most relevant when they are localized, so as to suit the requirements of a particular community, city, town or village. It therefore makes sense to de-regulate the Indian radio industry, as opposed to the restrictive Phase 3 guidelines that allow private FM radio only to re-broadcast the news bulletins of All India Radio without any addition or modification. Surely, the 36 news generating units of AIR cannot cater to the local news requirements of over 200 cities that private radio is expected to cover in Phase III.

     

    At a time when all other media are free to broadcast news, including the digital medium where we see numerous news portals emerging every day, radio should also be evangelized a people’s medium, and not just limited to entertainment. The regulations that are holding back radio from reaching its full potential should be re-examined.

     

  • A new award – the Bajaate Raho Dialogue of the Year 2013 – was included in the list of Renault Star Guild Awards 2014

    Red FM partners Renault Star Guild Awards 2014

    By A Correspondent

    It’s the season of film awards and radio network, 93.5 Red FM has partnered with the Renault Star Guild Awards. A new award – the  Bajaate Raho Dialogue of the Year 2013 – has been included in list of awards.

    Said Nisha Narayanan, COO, 93.5 RED FM: “Star Guild Awards celebrates the best of Bollywood and we are excited to be once again associated with it.  We jointly with the Renault Star Guild Awards introduced a new category this year, ‘Bajaate Raho Dialogue of the year’”

    Added Rajat Uppal, General Manager (Marketing), RED FM on the association: “With the ‘Bajaate Raho Dialogue of the Year Award’ introduced here, we looked out for a dialogue which was impactful and had created an immediate connect with the youth of India. There were some excellent dialogues from big blockbusters of the year which were nominated, but the one from Ranjhanaa definitely proved to the most popular one.”

    Speaking on the awards, Sabbas Joseph, Director – Wizcraft International said, “It has been a wonderful association and we value this partnership with Red FM who allow us to engage audiences across India with Red FM’s excellent listenership base in India.”

     

  • It's the season for seminars and conclaves. While a fair bit of time, money and energy is spent on these events, but are they really worth one's while?

    MxM Mondays: How useful are conferences?

     

    By Johnson Napier

     

    It’s that time of the year when honchos and executives across industry domains squeeze out time from their schedules to catch up on trends and events. It’s the season for conferences and all-day seminars, especially for folk from Media. After the Indian Magazine Congress 2013 that was held a fortnight ago, delegates will fill the halls at Hotel Renaissance, Powai for FICCI Frames 2013.

     

    But while conclaves and industry gatherings do serve a purpose, there have been questions about the quality of discussions and relevance of topics, and whether they have brought about any impact or change. The lack of new ideas at these dos also bothers those who attend the events with the hope of getting something more.

     

    MxMIndia asked industrywallahs what they think of conferences and whether more needs to be done in terms of relevance and generation of new ideas.

     

    Anwesh Bose, Senior VP, DDB Mudra Max

    “Well, the ideas are there but the discussions are not well thought of. What happens at most conferences is that things get left at the discussion stage and it doesn’t go any further. There is no effort seen where it comes to implementing solutions. Also, most of the events are sponsor-driven and are not taken seriously. Even something like Goafest is more of a celebration thing than something that is followed at Cannes. So when organisers send out invites they should be serious about whom they are calling and what they intend to achieve by hosting such seminars.”

     

    Sanjeev Gupta, MD, Global Advertisers

    “The Indian media industry is at a nascent stage in comparison to western countries. We need to continuously improve our methods, approach and strategy. And for that, we need to have common platforms to discuss our challenges and difficulties with industry experts more often. Trade shows, exhibitions of new technology, conferences, workshops all have various topics to discuss including new trends and growth pattern of the industry. We would like to suggest that these conferences should be more interactive, touch new subjects and discuss data from an Indian perspective.

     

    “The numbers of media conferences in India are still very less, we need to organize more such events in future for the betterment of the industry. We would also like to suggest that we need to organize these shows in Tier II & Tier III cities to understand the needs of rural India.”

     

    Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP – Projects and Programming, 93.5 Red FM

    “Conferences are good platforms for germination of ideas and are good conversation builders. When industry leaders from media sit at a forum together, conversations that get built give fresher and newer perspective to issues being discussed. However it has a fair chance of being repetitive if the topics are the same and the policy has not changed.

     

    “For instance since 2006 of phase 2 of FM radio, the radio players have the same issues and regardless of the event, the same issues become rather boring to the audience. Now with phase 3, we hope to engage people with fresh concerns and celebrations.”

     

    Krishna Prasad, Editor-in-chief, Outlook

    “Trade conferences provide a legitimate forum for networking and schmoozing. But individuals and institutions which organize and take part in them need to jump out of the box of cliches if they have to fulfil their core mandate, which is presumably to inspire and throw new light. In other words, there needs to be more ‘disruption’, rather than everybody nodding their heads sagely between checking their phones and yawning. And there needs to be more intense questioning of the holy cows, rather than blind acceptance of their received and perceived wisdom.”

     

    Prema Sagar, Principal and Founder, Genesis Burson-Marsteller

    “Conferences in India, trade or otherwise, were deeply boring in the years gone by. In recent times, the subjects are more global in scope with local focus. Every expert, speaker and academician is happy to be part of conferences in India…. there are now better speakers with good content and articulation, there is more learning on new subjects, and networking is always a great takeaway. What needs to improve is better planning and execution of events, follow-up papers on subjects that provide further value to those attendees who value the ongoing engagement.”

     

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy, CMD, RK Swamy BBDO

    “Good conferences with a timely and focused theme and a set of good speakers are always relevant. Unfortunately we have too many of these undifferentiated ones. They all have the same topics discussed, the same speakers and more often the same audience! Also in many conferences there is too much selling by the speaker about his company, and that is a put-off for audiences.

     

    “Some introspection is needed before embarking on the next conference on three dimensions: Is the theme addressing the current and the immediate needs of the intended audience? Can we divide this theme into topics that can be looked at closely, multi-dimensionally? Can we get engaging speakers to address the chosen subjects – not something they can repackage from their earlier presentations?”

     

  • The move followed feedback from listeners and a conclusion that the choice of music is moving more towards Bollywood

    Red FM goes Hindi in Bengaluru

    By A Correspondent

     

    Popular FM radio network Red FM has turned its Bengaluru frequency into a 24×7 Hindi radio station: Red FM Bangluru. The move follows the station’s observation where listeners expressed a keen liking for Bollywood music over their current songs playlist. The move is expected to help the brand become more popular across the metropolitan audiences and at the same time break through the clutter of homogenous sounding Kannada radio stations in Bangalore.

     

    Nisha Narayanan

    Commenting on the initiative, Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP – Programming & Projects, 93.5 Red FM said, “We are in constant touch with the evolving needs of our listeners and have concluded that the choice of music is moving more towards Bollywood. Moreover, the listeners prefer to listen to superhit songs all the time and Red FM is going to cater to this emerging need gap in the Bangalore. We will continue to retain the ‘Bajaate Raho’ attitude of the brand which gives us an edge over the others.”

     

    The station promises to offer a whole new level of entertainment with new RJs and a completely new identity. The change took effect from yesterday (November 28)

     

  • From September 27, 2012, Red FM will feature stories of ordinary individuals who have fought against crime – irrespective of their age, gender or profession. They will share their experiences with RJ Malishka on Morning No.1 from Monday to Friday

    Red FM launches ‘Crime Chi Gheun Tak’

    By A Correspondent

     

    From September 27, 2012, Red FM will feature stories of ordinary individuals who have fought against crime – irrespective of their age, gender or profession. These real life heroes will share their experience with RJ Malishka on Morning No.1 from Monday to Friday.

     

    Issues such as crimes against the elderly, eve-teasing, suicide etc. will be discussed on-air. The promos for the show mention that crime does not spread because of criminals, but because of individuals who bear it.

     

    Nisha Narayanan

    Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP – Programming and Projects, Red FM said, “‘Crime’ is a new genre for radio, the relevance of which is even more in our metro cities, Mumbai being one of them. The campaign thought for our prime-time show comes from an inherent responsibility to highlight what we think should be brought to the notice of our listeners. These heroes are also a part of our listening universe, and the deeds instill a sense of pride in their fellow citizens. This is Red FM’s second initiative to fight crime. In early August, we launched ‘Crime Ki Keh Ke Lenge’ for our listeners in New Delhi. The show, hosted by RJs Peeyuush and Swati, had a successful inning. We hope to take this to the next level in Mumbai.”

     

  • The awards are a pioneering effort to recognize Indian music, transcending genres in the country giving the music industry a unified platform to celebrate its talent

    Red FM partners with Chevrolet GiMA Awards 2012

    By A Correspondent

     

    93.5 Red FM has partnered with the Chevrolet Global Indian Music Academy (GiMA) Awards, the biggest annual celebration of Indian Music, for the third consecutive year. The awards are a pioneering effort to recognize Indian music, transcending genres in the country giving the music industry a unified platform to celebrate its talent.

     

    An initiative by Wizcraft International Entertainment, GiMA recognizes talent across various genres of Indian Music such as Bollywood, Classical, Ghazal, Devotional, Folk, Fusion, Carnatic and Contemporary.

     

    Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP – Projects & Programming, Red FM said: “GiMA stands for excellence and honours the best talent in the music industry and Red FM is all about playing the most contemporary super hit music. There is an unparalleled synergy between the two and we are delighted to be partnering each other for three years in a row.”

     

    “This time RED has decided to present issues to listeners musically with the on-going ‘Gaa ke Bajaa’. GiMA-nominated stars sang for Mumbaikars a unique song every day for their daily woes on ‘Mumbai Local’ hosted by RJ Rishi Kapoor and will be aired from Monday to Saturday between 5-9pm,” she added.

     

    “Today, GiMA has evolved into a major platform for the Indian Music Industry and brings together the entire fraternity, to honour and celebrate musical talent across various genres. This year, there is an interesting mix of nominees and I congratulate GiMA as they embark upon yet another musical journey,” said Javed Akhtar, noted poet-lyricist and Advisory Board Member of GiMA.

     

    Sabbas Joseph, Director, Wizcraft International Entertainment said: “We are glad to have Red FM as our radio partner once again, for the third edition of the GiMA. It has been a great association and we look forward to yet another spectacular celebration with them this year.”

     

    GiMA is the only Music Awards platform with a voting process based on peer-to-peer recognition. Nominees are selected by a jury panel of over 30 eminent members from the music & film industry and later presented to the GiMAAcademy for the final voting.

     

    The Academy’s votes are tabulated by KPMG, the process auditors for GiMA who determine the winners. To ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation, the Academy follows a thorough and meticulous voting process.

     

    While the country’s best talent comprises of the jury, as per a mandate by KPMG, all jurors do not adjudicate on categories/genres in which they are in contention. The illustrious Advisory Board members include Dr L Subramaniam, Hariharan, Javed Akhtar, Mukesh Bhatt, Prasoon Joshi, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Resul Pookutty, Shankar Mahadevan, Shubha Mudgal, Vishal Bhardwaj among others.

     

    The Academy comprises over 300 members from the music & film industry encompassing industry stalwarts, music directors, producers, lyricists, singers, technicians, composers and leaders in the music business.

     

     

  • This campaign will bring forth 15 heroic stories of men and women who have bravely stood up against crime

    Red FM launches Crime Ki Keh Ke Lenge

    By A Correspondent

     

    This summer seems to belong to superheroes on screen and we loved seeing them beat up the bad guys. But on August 06, 93.5 Red FM will launch ‘Crime Ki Keh Ke Lenge’, which will introduce listeners to some real life heroes – ordinary people who have had the courage to stand up against crime in our capital city.

     

    This campaign will bring forth 15 heroic stories of men and women who have bravely stood up against crime. The basic premise is to highlight the immense amount of courage and resilience shown by these people to counter different criminal acts they were faced with. The content of the show is purposeful and interesting, and goes on to show that the common man or woman can handle these successfully.

     

    Red FM Delhi’s Morning RJs Peeyuush and Swati will feature one such instance on their show every day, with different people related to the story coming on-air along with the protagonist.

     

    ‘Crime Ki Keh Ke Lenge’ is yet another initiative by Red FM to take up matters of local importance, and present them in an entertaining, yet responsible manner. As elucidated by the Senior VP – Programming and Projects, Nisha Narayanan: “‘Crime’ is a new genre for radio, the relevance of which is even more in our capital city. The campaign thought for our prime-time show comes from an inherent responsibility to highlight what we think should be brought to the notice of our listeners. These heroes are also a part of our listening universe, and the deeds instill a sense of pride in their fellow citizens.

     

    A bold move by one the leading radio stations inIndia, Red FM means business when it says ‘Crime Ki Keh Ke Lenge’.”

     

  • He will report to Nisha Narayanan, senior vice president, projects and programming, Red FM

    Vidyut Patra is Red FM’s new Station Head-Mumbai

    By A Correspondent

     

    Red FM has appointed Vidyut Patra as Station Head for its Mumbai station. At Red FM, Mr Patra will be responsible for strengthening the revenue stream and the brand for the Mumbai station. He will report to Nisha Narayanan, senior vice president, projects and programming, Red FM.

     

    Ms Narayanan said, “Vidyut Patra has extensive experience across revenue, brand and content domains and will add immense value to the station and the brand. We are delighted to have Vidyut on board and look forward to his work at Red FM.”

     

    On his role at Red FM, Mr Patra said: “I’m very excited to come on board and given RED FM Mumbai’s history of exceptional talent and genre-defining content, I look forward to further strengthening the ‘Bajate Raho’ proposition of the brand and  the exciting times which lie ahead.”

     

    Mr Patra comes from a strong broadcasting background. He spent his last 4 years at Viacom 18 handling various responsibilities for MTV, prior to which he has been with INX Media and Star India Pvt Ltd.

     

  • A vibrant market for regional as well as national music, the FM radio scene in South India still has immense potential for expansion and revenue.

    FM Radio rocks in South India… and how!

    By Robin Thomas

     

    The FICCI-Deloitte report on Media and Entertainment in South India says that radio in South India will grow with a CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) of 20 per cent by 2015. The reach of FM radio is said to be far higher in South India than its counterparts in other parts of the Country. According to Ms Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP Projects and Programming Red FM, South India has 28 per cent share of existing radio channels and it will have 28 per cent representation in FM phase III as well.

     

    Besides the larger FM stations like Red FM, Big FM, Radio Mirchi and Radio City, there are many local or smaller FM stations as well, such as Radio Hello, Club FM, Best FM, Suryan FM and Radio Mango, to name a few. Unlike the North, FM radio stations in the South play music in multiple languages as prominence is given to the local language. Big FM for instance plays only Kannada music in Bengaluru whereas in Hyderabad it plays Telugu and Hindi music. Club FM, a Kerala-based FM station, plays mainly Malayalam music with a mix of Tamil and Hindi music whereas Red FM in Andhra Pradesh mainly plays Telugu.

     

    Rabe T Iyer
    Nisha Narayanan

    Rabe T Iyer, Business Head, Big FM, the radio arm of Reliance Broadcast Network was of the opinion that compared to the rest of the country, the reach of radio in south India is much higher. Mr Iyer was also quick to point out that in some key markets like Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad the reach of radio is significant, higher than most news channels, and is on comparable terms with leading GECs.

     

    “Given the inherent strengths of the region backed by a strong film and music Industry, added to its rich cultural diversity, it is not surprising that radio in South India has relatively higher penetration than other regions. The south of India has done some innovative radio over the years. It continues to be a huge focus area for all players given that it has three big metros which are important from both listenership ratings and revenue perspective,” he added.

     

    Nisha Narayanan of Red FM said, “South has been an integral part of radio and its growth in India. Radio is more close to people’s lifestyle here than any other part of India. Radio Ceylon had created a strong base for radio even before the advent of FM radio in India. FM radio penetration is the highest in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu. In the long term, obviously there is tremendous growth and we are in the early stage of that growth.”

     

    Shaan Menon, Manager Content, Club FM noted, “FM in South India is going to take a huge leap as it is waiting for the next bidding. Even the smaller cities and small townships in Kerala will get a chance to taste the feel and warmth of FM culture. South Indian film music is the strongest music industry in terms of production. Although CD sales are deeply affected due to rapid downloads, FM industry is full of the new genre of music and music directors.”

     

    Challenges and Opportunities

    Some of the key advertisers in the south are retail, textile, jewellery, real estate, hospitality, FMCG, consumer durables etc. Big FM claims its advertising and content ratio to be 1:4, while Red FM says it plays 45 minutes of music and 15 minutes of ads every hour during off peak season whereas in peak season the inventory time is slightly more. One of the reasons why radio is said to be doing well in the south is because of its strong regional film and music industry. “Given the diversity, there is tremendous potential for localization which radio can capitalize on and deliver. The opportunities to create a unique brand identity in this market are immense,” explained Mr Iyer.

     

    He further said, “A challenge any product faces in its life cycle is finding the ‘differentiating quality’ after the market matures. The same applies to the radio industry and its many players. With a market that has matured and grown manifold and poised to grow further, novelty and innovation in content will be a key component for success and will decide further growth of the category.”

     

    Ms Narayanan on the other hand observed that time has come for radio to look for new revenue streams. She was also of the view that radio stations must experiment beyond the traditional programming formats, and that music royalty still remains a challenge. “Content has to evolve a lot as most of the programming strategies are music based. We are still into traditional programming formats and the time has come to take it to the next level. The ability to create new revenue streams is ideally needed at this hour, as the only source of revenue for radio stations has been advertising sales. Music royalty is another area of concern as we pay needle per hour, whereas the international markets follow the revenue sharing model. These are the challenges faced nationally too.”

     

    The road ahead

    The much awaited FM Phase III policy seeks to extend FM radio services to about 227 new cities. Phase III will cover all cities with a population of one lakh and above, simultaneously there will be a total of 839 new FM radio channels in 294 cities. The local players in particular expect to further expand their radio station into the southern markets. However, one of the possible challenges after FM phase III is launched could be to attract listeners to the medium and then to sustain its listenership.

     

    Mr Iyer of Big FM observed, “We foresee huge growth in the radio industry in the coming years. There will be more stations leading to more innovation in content and communication. This will result in more revenues and hence more profitability for all players.”

     

    Ms Narayanan remarked, “South India has 28 per cent share of existing radio channels and it will have 28 per cent representation in phase III as well. Radio will be a national medium and the true mass medium with the number of channels coming in Phase III. In the south 75 to 80 per cent of the licenses are for the ‘D’ and ‘C’ cities which will be a great boost for advertisers as a medium breaking across demography.”

     

    Mr Menon stated, “The challenge during FM Phase III is to convince the small town public that FM radio is equally or more entertaining than TV. It will be difficult to make them taste the sample, but the current popularity of FM industry in the main towns will definitely help to fight the difficulty of convincing the new public.”