MUMBAI: Radio Mid-Day Go 92.5 FM has undergone a change in its brand identity as well as positioning of the FM channel. From a niche player, Go 92.5 FM is set to create a mark as a mass player. Towards that end the station has undergone a name change to Radio One.

Radio One is a Mid-Day Multimedia and BBC Worldwide venture.

Earlier this year, BBC Worldwide Holdings B.V. entered into a deal with Mid-Day Multimedia Ltd to invest Rs 318.5 million for a 20 per cent stake in Radio Mid Day West (India) Pvt Ltd.The venture has bagged licenses to operate FM stations in Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Pune. While the Mumbai station is operational, other metros like Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi will go on air in the next few months.

Interestingly, one of the radio brands from the BBC Worldwide stable is called BBC Radio 1. BBC Radio Service also runs BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Five Live in the UK. 

BBC Radio 1 specialises in popular music and targets the 16-24 age bracket. It was launched in September 1967.

"With Radio Mid-Day becoming a national player in seven major metros around the country, it was only natural that we would evolve what we were doing in Mumbai into what is going to be a robust national play," says Radio Midday CEO Rajesh Tahil.

"As a single city player, being niche made sense, but a national presence gives us the opportunity to go back to the drawing board and look at opportunities to shed our niche image and broaden our markets, both in terms of audience and revenue," Tahil adds.

Commenting on the opportunities that the Phase II licensing allows for the growth of private FM in India Tahil adds, "For both Mid-Day Multimedia and the BBC, being a significant national radio player is of great strategic significance."

Radio Mid-Day and operating head of the Mumbai station Radio One Shariq Patel said, "We have tested the new format and have seen a healthy improvement in numbers from our own internal tracking. With FM becoming a truly mass medium, we're on our way to building a mass brand."

The company has also brought about a change in its programming strategy. According to a statement issued today, the change in programming for the Mumbai station will be the first big change in the play-out of the national brand through which Radio Mid-Day aims to become the number one station in the cities it transmits.

"The new radio station will still have the flavour of Go and the essence of what the brand stood for, which is fun, energy and exuberance reflecting the city of Mumbai. This will all remain though the language and the context changes a little," says Radio Mid-Day VP programming and brand Vishnu Athreya. "For us, music and Bollywood are an integral part of the programming mix. Hindi music itself has come a long way and the attitude that Abhishek Bachchan reflects in a new Bollywood film or the fact that Himesh Reshammiya queues up playlists at a club shows us the new age of a changing audience."

The company is also optimistic about the new format giving a boost to revenues. "As the market share (audience) of the radio station increases, we are certain the share of revenue will increase as well. Already we have seen interests from a wider list of advertisers that may not have considered us a necessity earlier," Radio Mid-Day VP advertising sales Avinash Pillai, who has recently joined, concludes.