MxMIndia

Tag: Red Fm

  • REDTRO 106.Chaar ropes in popular TV anchor, satirist and comedian, Cyrus Broacha as RJ

    Funnyman Cyrus to add his twist for Redtro’s new show

    By A Correspondent

     

    Having debuted on Mumbai’s air-waves on last month, REDTRO has signed Cyrus Broacha as an RJ for ‘Cyrusnaama’ – a show that combines the spirit of 90s and the flavor of today. The station announced the coming on board of Cyrus and other RJs – RJ Saurabh, RJ Pritam, RJ Palak, RJ Sudarshan – along with an interesting programming line-up.

     

    Launched as the first radio station under the newly acquired Phase III licenses by the company, REDTRO is an ode to the golden days of the poster boys of 90s packed with today’s energy and modern irreverent attitude. With its tagline, Phir Bajao, REDTRO aims to bring back the loved tunes from the era of the 90s.

     

    Speaking on the sidelines of the launch party, Nisha Narayanan, COO, Red FM & REDTRO FM said, “We are very positive and confident about our new brand, REDTRO 106.Chaar, in Mumbai. Our extensive research has pointed out a definite need gap, which is the reason we have a very sharply defined product and a differentiated brand offering. In our mind, REDTRO 106.Chaar, is retro for the young adults. Not just the songs, but even the content is customized to what millennials want to listen, when it comes to retro. Our sound and range is aimed at and invoking a certain level of passion for our mature TG, aged between 30-45 years.”

     

    “After some aggressive listener research and co-creation workshops with radio consumers, it was the music at the turn of this century that won, hands down. However, not totally diverting from the spirit of RED, we intend to take our legacy of creativity, innovation and entertainment forward; yet at the same time, breaking the monotony of FM Radio. We are putting our words immediately into action by getting on board Cyrus Broacha, who will bring his quirky style on-air with us. More such initiatives should create top-of-mind associations with our listeners, over the next few years.”

     

    Also ushering in the 90’s for today’s contemporary listeners will be RJ Saurabh, RJ Pritam, RJ Palak, among others. The day opens up with RJ Saurabh whose rib-tickling humor and sarcasm will make every morning worth that cutting chai. Save the 11-2 PM slot for RJ Pritam’s infamous ‘Bhabhi ka show’ and learn how to woo in style with Pritam’s wicked charm. One is as old as one feels; drawing upon the same lines, the afternoon show is taken over by RJ Palak whose ‘Redtro Jawani’ will make you reminisce your youth as she tells you about the newest and the latest things that Gen X, Y and Z is trying!

     

    REDTRO 106.4 has designed a big-bang, 360 degree campaign to amplify the buzz around its latest launch to engage deeper with the listeners and establish what REDTRO has to offer.

     

  • RED FM Network brings great music from the 90s with new FM station in Mumbai – Radio REDTRO

    Red FM launches Redtro, its second station in Mumbai

    By A Correspondent

     

    RedFM has launched its retro music station in Mumbai – REDTRO 106.Chaar. This is the first radio station to be introduced under the newly acquired Phase III licenses by the company. While the station has been test-playing for the last few days, the launch yesterday, was marked with afternoon show by RJ Pritam.

     

    Commenting on this new development, Nisha Narayanan, COO, Red FM said, “I’m elated to hear REDTRO 106.Chaar! Experimenting with formats and genres and bringing relevant innovation to programming is core to our strategic line of thinking. We have been dabbling with the idea of a retro music station for quite some time now. While there’re so many new players making a foray in the market and we aim to grow the market with our newest offering, we were very clear in our minds that we’ve to create a marked differentiation in the way retro is perceived. And that’s how REDTRO 106.Chaar was born. A format radio channel, REDTRO 106.Chaar aims to diversify retro space and focus on the music of the 90s. It is clearly, “Aaj ke zamaane ka retro station”! With RED FM being India’s favourite contemporary hits radio station, and REDTRO going retro, we believe we have a strong and powerful proposition for our listeners and our advertisers alike.”

     

    REDTRO 106.Chaar will appeal to the matured yet young-at-heart audiences. It is not just best music of 90s being played again, it also continues to be the provocative entertainer and station of expression.

     

    REDTRO 106.Chaar is RED FM network’s second radio station in Mumbai. It was acquired in Phase III auctions along with eight more stations, namely, Srinagar, Jammu, Jodhpur, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Patna, Surat, and Chennai.

     

  • Mischievous & witty Bauaa takes charge to shield Delhi against water war in a quirky style

    Red FM launches campaign to curtail water problem in the capital city

    By A Correspondent

     

    Red FM 93.5 along with RJ Raunac (Bauaa) launched a witty and quirky campaign to create awareness around the growing water scarcity in the capital city, targeting the ‘chalta hain’ attitude of Delhiites towards water wastage. In a 7-day spike on morning show ‘Morning No 1’, RJ Raunac will ask listeners to nominate locations which are regular sights of water wastage through leaking overhead tanks in Delhi’s residential areas. The chosen locations will be raided by Bauaa aka RJ Raunac and water alarms will be given to people in the surroundings which will work as a constant reminder towards water conservation. To make it more intriguing and impactful, Red FM has introduced water alarms in Bauaa’s voice.  The alarms in his typical shaming style will announce that the tank is full now and the water pump should be switched off.

     

    As part of the initiative, Kapil Mishra – Holding the cabinet portfolio of Water in Delhi Government appreciated Red FM for the water Alarm installation activity and invited the RED FM team to install the water meter at his residence as well. Divisional Commissioner, Delhi A. Anbarasue came forward and encouraged Raunac for this huge effort of not only creating awareness but providing a quirky solution as well. Activist and water conservationist Vikrant Tongad has joined hands with RED FM will come on-air to enlighten the listeners on growing water crises and interesting tips and factoids around water conservation. The rising start-up Shop clues have also come forward to extend its support in Red FM’s unique initiative and will hand over water alarms as a complementary gift to all the consumers availing services from their portals in Delhi NCR region. Bollywood celebrities like Kanika Kapoor, Mona Singh and Sunny Leone also joined hands by lending a voice on this initiative

     

    Commenting on its unique initiative Rajat Uppal – National Marketing Head Red FM said, “Through this initiative Red FM aims to put forward the alarming truth of Delhi’s groundwater table which is receding steadily at a pace that could lead to serious water crisis. We are going a step ahead and not only creating awareness on water conservation but also providing a solution to address it in a quirky style to ensure success of the campaign.  I would like to thank all our partners who have come forward to support us and help us establish a mark”.

     

    Listeners can message Red FM if they want ‘Bauaa’ to come down to their society and help in conservation of water on 7531935935. Extensive on- ground is also planned in RWA in areas like Mayapuri, Vasant Kunj, Malviya Nagar etc.

     

  • Measurability, co-existing with digital and a bright future were some of the key terms that emerged from this year's IRF Conference

    Challenges and the future of Radio @IRF

    The Indian Radio Forum (IRF) held this year’s annual conference on May 13 at The Westin, Mumbai. RajatUppal, National Marketing Head, Red FM and AshwinPadmanabhan, COO, Reliance Broadcast Network opened the conference. “There are great opportunities for Radio and we have to make Radio relevant” said Uppal. Padmanabhan focused on what challenges lie ahead for radio. “One of the biggest challenges is the measurability of listeners. It needs to be looked into”, he said.

     

    The first session was conducted by Gaurav Mehta, CEO, OLX South Asia on ‘Measuring ROI for Radio’. Return On Investment (ROI, is indeed an concern for advertisers and media agencies who are challenged more than ever to achieve it and sales goals due to the increasingly diversified media landscape and extraneous market challenges. Mehta spoke about the usage of analytics to understand the contribution of Radio spend to business. He said that adfolk speak about radio being a potential medium but they do not invest on it. He ended his session by saying that “We do not understand radio as much as we should”.

     

    The next session was a panel discussion on ‘Telling brand stories through effective and creative radio’. This was moderated by Reliance Broadcast COO Ashwin Padmanabhan and the panelists for this session were Manish Bhatt, Founder Director of Scarecrow Communications, Manohar Nayak, Managing Director, Lingo India and Sunil Kumaran, Country Head, Dentsu Story Lab. Few marketers have been able to leverage the strengths of the radio medium to design effective, creative radio advertising that brings brand stories alive in the minds and life of a radio listener. Nayak,  who considers radio to be his first wife, said:  “Radio is a very personal space. It can be used effectively to reach out to people”.  Kumaran spoke on what needs to be focused on to make it more effective. “One basic challenge is to understand the medium deeply. Measurability is also a huge concern.” “We are trying to make radio cool by using social media,” said Bhatt about increasing the reach of radio.

     

    This was followed by a session on ‘How can radio kill the video star?’ by Hari Krishnan, the Managing Director of Zenith Optimedia Group. Krishnan’s presentation was quirky and creative from the word go. He started the session by showing the1979 music video of ‘Video killed the radio star’ by Buggles. Then he proceeded the session by saying that he will be giving tips on how to take revenge on the visual medium. “Look at the limitations of the visual medium and use it in your radio pitches”, he said. According to him, radio retained its magic but brands left radio behind. “I think the time of radio is here. Radio offers opportunities beyond just reach and engagement” was his signing off message to the audience.

     

    Nisha Narayanan, COO, Red FM, moderated the discussion on ‘Radio- selling beyond FCT’. The panelists for this discussion were VanitaKeswani, CEO, Madison Media Sigma, Suresh Balakrishna, CEO India South Asia, Kinetic and Jaideep Singh, Senior Vice President and Business Head- Integrated Network Solutions, Viacom 18. FM brands today offer radio beyond FCT (Free Commercial Time). We all know about the various awards shows and concerts hosted by these radio channels. So, why is there a need to sell FCT only on radio, was a question which was critically discussed in this session. They unanimously agreed that organisations should not just be concerned about business and numbers. They should explore the medium more and creatively tackle situations. “Radio has larger potential because they can create localised content”, said Singh.

     

    The first panel discussion post lunch was moderated by Suman Srivastava, Vice Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer, FCB Ulka. Topic of the discussion was ‘Is radio relevant in a mobile world’ and the panelists were Nandini Dias, CEO, Lodstar UM, Tarun Katial, CEO, Reliance Broadcast Network and Sanjay Tripathy, Senior Executive Vice President- Marketing, Product, Digital and e-Commerce, HDFC Life. They all agreed that in today’s rapidly evolving technology, it is about the co-existence of radio and digital. Katial agreed that, “It is not about one versus the other but about co-existing.” Tripathy shared that how they created a radio campaign to promote their digital campaign. “The way we perceive radio has changed. It is not just about music but the power of sound,” said Dias

     

    The second panel discussion was about ‘Steaming music- threat or opportunity for FM”.  It was moderated by Prashant Panday, Managing Director and CEO, Radio Mirchi (ENIL) with Aditya Swamy, Digital Media and Content Marketing, Flipkart and Shridhar Subramaniam, President- India and Middle East, Sony Music Entertainment as the panelists. They all agreed that it is clearly an opportunity for FM and if they think beyond the FM platform there is a chance of growth for their brand. Subramaniam said the biggest threat iss the machine algorithm which takes an average measure to calculate the consumer’s taste and offers them that particular category every time they tune in. Both the panelists agreed that FM broadcasters need to embrace streaming. “They should offer local experience and try to figure out a revenue stream,” said Swamy.

     

    The conference ended with the ‘Radiopitch Challenge’. On its sixth successful year, the top four from the Excellence in Radio Awards (ERA) category of ‘Most outstanding use of radio in an Ad campaign’ are invited to present a media plan for a product in front of the judges. This year’s winners were Team Motivator who presented their campaign for ‘Hike messenger’ and the runners up were Group M media for their ‘Crash the Pepsi IPL’ presentation.

     

  • A night that was all about cheering, enjoying, encouraging and most importantly radio

    Red FM, BIG FM & Radio Mirchi earn top laurels at IRF

     

    By Anuka Roy

     

    ‘Happiness is like a radio station, broadcasting all the time. You just have to learn how to tune in and receive it properly. Stay tuned and be happy always!’ Nobody knows who said that but it sure is a true saying. It was indeed a happy environment when people from the radio and media industry gathered together to celebrate the best of the best in radio. This year the Excellence in Radio Awards (ERA) were hosted on Friday the May 13 (this was another highlight for everyone) at The Westin Mumbai.

     

    This year, a total of 43 awards were given out across various categories. To celebrate the spirit of radio and the winners everyone in the audience was given a whistle to cheer for the winners. And did they cheer? The only thing that can be said is, hardly anything else was audible every time an award was announced. Some of the award-winning stations this year included Radio Mirchi, Red FM, Suryan FM, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd, Radio City, Radio Mango, Club FM and MY FM.

     

    Without any doubt this year’s ERA was painted red with Red FM winning 13 awards including the ones won by sibling Suryan FM across different categories and regions including the ‘Best Radio Sparkler (Hindi)’ for the character Bauua, who plays pranks on people over the phone and the ‘Best Community Service Award’ for ‘Himmat ki Kimat Delhi’, an initiative by Red FM Delhi in recognising the true heroes of Delhi.Suryan FM won two awards ‘Best Breakfast Programme/Show (Tamil)’ and ‘RJ of the Year (Tamil)’ which went to RJ Blade Shankar. Reliance Broadcast Network Limited or Big FM also won 8 awards, including the award for the ‘Best Radio Programme  (Hindi – For Non-Metro Station)’ and ‘RJ of the Year (Hindi – For Non-Metro Station)’ which went to AnnuKapoor for his show ‘Suhaana Safar With AnnuKapoor’.‘RJ of the Year (Hindi)’ went to RJ NeeleshMisra of Big FM.TLG India (Zenith Optimedia India) won two awards for’ Most Effective Use of Radio in an Activation Campaign’ and ‘Most Outstanding Use of Radio in an Ad Campaign’. However, the most anticipated award of the evening, ‘Best FM Station’, was taken home by Radio Mirchi Delhi.

     

    Speaking to MxMIndia, Vishaal Sethia, Senior Vice President, Programming at Radio Mirchi said: “It always is a fabulous feeling. It is a station which has a lot of initiatives regularly. It is a very creative team; this also re-establishes the fact that we are leaders in Delhi. It is a great feeling to be rewarded for all of that”.

     

    Nisha Narayanan, COO of Red FM spoke about the road ahead for the station. She said: “What I am really happy about is the fact that, we are winning a lot of regional awards. I have always been saying that awards need to move out of Delhi and Mumbai, needs to be encouraged in other cities as well. The road ahead, as I keep telling the team, we need to continue to innovate, be fresh in our thoughts, think out of the box and keep entertaining. ” Speaking on behalf of Team Red FM on bagging a dozen awards, Rajat Uppal, National Marketing Head said: “It is nice. We always have been winning so many awards and this year is no exception. We won 13 medals today; it feels great.”

     

    With much debate on about the future of radio in our country, the awards surely are a source of encouragement and a hope for brighter days ahead for the radio industry.

     

     

  • 70 countries will be participating at International Radio Festival (IRF) in Milan

    Red FM’s Malishka to speak at IRF in Milan

    By A Correspondent

     

    Adding yet another feather to its cap, Red FM’s RJ Malishka has been selected to represent the entire radio fraternity in India at the International Radio Festival (IRF) in Milan, Italy. IRF is the world’s first and only industry conference and public on-air event for those with a vested interest in the business and curation of radio programming.

     

    Commenting on this achievement Nisha Narayanan, COO of Red FM says, “We are ecstatic with this selection and it is a proud moment for all of us at Red FM. One of our star jocks is going to be taking our brand values to international audiences. Malishka would also be hosting a show live in Milan. In line with Red FM’s continuous commitment towards its listeners and fans in India, the special two hour show will be broadcasted live in Mumbai as well.”

     

    Red FM, India’s largest and most awarded radio network with over 50 stations will be in Milan expanding its footprints in the International arena through RJ Malishka. Malishka has been associated with Red FM for eight years, her show Morning No.1 has been a major hits and an addiction for many listeners and her fans in Mumbai.

     

    Speaking on her visit to Milan RJ Malishka said “This is the second time that I will be representing India and Red FM in the internationally platform. My first experiences with IRF was in Zurich and has been a great stage for me to share and learn new things about the medium and the way people across the world use it.  It’s a proud moment for me to represent my country on such a high platform and make the world familiar with sounds of India, the nuances and the flavours that offer the essence of India and Red FM.”

     

    Over 70 countries are participating in the conference, the shows can be heard and now seen (on account of social media) all over the world. A two hour Milan show will be broadcasted between 9-11 am  in Mumbai.

     

  • Red FM welcomed the outcome of the court case on permission to participate in the auction of First Batch of Private FM Radio Phase 3 channels starting today (July 27)

    Red FM welcomes Delhi HC decision

    By A Correspondent

     

    Red FM welcomed the outcome of the court case on permission to participate in the auction of First Batch of Private FM Radio Phase 3 channels starting today (July 27).

     

    Nisha Narayanan

    Welcoming the judgment of the Delhi High Court, COO Nisha Narayanan said: “We are one of country’s largest network of FM stations and hopefully post the final outcome of these auctions we shall retain our leadership status.”

     

    From the beginning we had kept a sizeable money to be spent on these auctions (through which government stands to earn with go-ahead on our participation). Our inclusion means a healthy competition and will benefit the entire FM radio industry and media and entertainment industry at large, she said in a communique.

     

  • Rahul Kishore gets more than professional in the third edition of his Coffee & Conversations series. This week with Nisha Narayanan, COO, Red FM

    Coffee & Conversations with Rahul Kishore: Week #3: Nisha Narayanan

    Coffee & Conversations normally appears on a Friday. We missed two weeks – the first since Good Friday was a holiday and in the last week as we had a connectivity hitch in Goa where he had shifted base for Goafest.  We are carrying one today and will henceforth appear on Fridays. Thanks – Ed

     

    Nisha Narayanan is easily the most glamorous COO I have had the pleasure of meeting. Ever-smiling, tough, balanced and easy-to-get-along-with are some of the things I know about her. I met her in 2009 and she continues to be a good friend till this day and some one I greatly admire.

     

    I began by asking her:

     

    Do you consider yourself lucky?

    Yes, of course, she says. Opportunities come, you have to grab them and learn. I was an RJ in AIR about 20 years back. Was taking a break from Economics,  and listening to music, when I heard an advert for RJs. I applied and got the job. From there till here is all about a lot of hard work. I don’t come from a media family. My bosses were supportive and gave me space to perform.And I did.

     

    Difficult being a woman in a man’s world?

    The challenge is to be taken seriously whether you are a man or a woman, she feels. Initially, the possibility of being taken lightly is higher, being a woman. Once they know you mean business, it goes away. I was travelling 28 days a month for almost the first four years of my job. Sometimes I would come home just to change my suitcase. I got taken seriously pretty soon. I feel for me its business as usual.

     

    Do you intimidate men?

    No, not at all. I am accessible to all and pretty open with all my colleagues. I like wearing sarees to work, which is rare, but I wear them just because I like them.There is no rule for office attire, is there? Ultimately it’s your work that talks, not what you wear to work! People do speak to me very formally and with grace, maybe because of this. I dont think I intimidate anyone

     

    How do you destress?

    I travel a lot on work and this helps me destress as well. Work for me is everything and I love my job. I am learning music nowadays. I know Carnatic music, am learning Hindustani classical these days.

     

    If a movie were made on your life, who would play you and why?

    Nandita Sen is the instant answer. She is grounded, simple and level-headed. What Nisha forgot, is that Nandita too, like Nisha, has lovely hair! She supports causes and has a social consciousness that’s essential in today’s age.

     

    Nisha’s dream job would be?

    I will focus on radio only. Right now radio does not reach villages and small towns which is the real I ndia.I want to drive this when the government allows it and help in educating and empowering people via this medium. This is a dream of mine. This wil happen once the regulations are easier for the broadcasters. I will lead this movement once am allowed to.

     

    Three things most important to you?

    Happiness

    Freedom to do what I believe in

    Honesty and hard work

     

    How much time do you spend on yourself?

    Currently I have no work-life balance. Work, for me, is religion. I have no time for myself, and I don’t feel the pinch either. I do a bit of yoga now and then and some exercise when I find some time

     

    One word that describes you?

    Passionate

     

    Favourite animal?

    Horse. Because it’s strong, has speed, is regal, and powerful. Also has a great mane (that’s my addition!)

     

    Lastly one CEO you admire?

    Narayan Murthy for his vision, simplicity and for being so humble. Inspiring leader, hands-on guy , leads by example, grounded. Built a huge empire with practically nothing, willing to take risks and maintaining great standards of integrity. In a corporate world which is in the grips of scandals and scams, he set himself high standards of corporate excellence and transparency. And a man with a huge social conscience

     

  • 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 has been running a mega election awareness campaign- Dabaa Ke Bajaa!, and the same will continue through the entire duration of elections, to reach out to the masses

    DDB MudraMax installs hoardings with pledge-meters for RED FM

    By A Correspondent

     

    With an aim to encourage people to vote in the general elections 2014, 93. 5 RED FM has associated with the Election Commission of India. The idea is to motivate people to vote in the upcoming elections. RED FM has been supporting the Election Commission of India in urging people, especially the first time voters, to come out on the polling day, and press the button of the voting machines to elect the 16th Lok Sabha.

     

    Under the association, RED FM has been running a mega election awareness campaign- Dabaa Ke Bajaa!, and the same will continue through the entire duration of elections, to reach out to the masses.

     

    For the Outdoor leg of the campaign, Red FM has appointed DDB MudraMax on board to handle their OOH innovation. They have installed huge hoardings with integrated digital LED pledge-meters that reflect the number of people who have pledged to vote. The number keeps changing real-time, and is a cumulative of the number of pledges received on SMS, calls, Facebook application and the tablet application that volunteers are taking to people.

     

    The hoardings, located at busy and important junctions in the city serve as a constant reminder to people to come out and vote. The meter which keeps ticking, denotes the exact number of people who have pledged to go. These hoardings have been taken in five locations including,New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Pune.

     

    Commenting on this innovative marketing initiative, Rajat Uppal, GM- Marketing, 93.5 RED FM said, “Dabaa Ke Bajaa is our attempt at channelizing the energy of people in all parts of India into one simple, and yet difficult act- pressing the button on the voting machine! We have partnered with the Election Commission of India to increase the voter turn-out in the upcoming General Elections. The digital hoarding and the pledge-meter have proved to be highly successful in getting people to pledge to vote, and in reminding them of their responsibility till the D-day. As a brand we have always tried to innovate and this is yet another innovation which stands out amongst the clutter of OOH. DDB MudraMax has executed the project very well. We have also been amplifying the campaign with several on-ground initiatives across the country.”

     

  • 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.