NEW DELHI: Its radio ga ga in Delhi.
Whether it was RED FM to strike a tune on the air waves or was it Radio City break into sing song or was it Radio Mirchi to churn a rhyme we do not know, but looks like capital is unlikely to sing off tune henceforth.
According to a RED FM release, it was RED to paint the airwaves bright on the 29 April, prior to the other two rivals, with its live broadcast by radio jockey Poonam. With phone lines on since midnight, callers from different parts of the city have been sending their congratulations, says the release.
Entertainment Network (India) Limited's Radio Mirchi, the leading private FM radio station in four other cities, was launched in New Delhi on 28 April. Bollywood heartthrob Kareena Kapoor inaugurated the new state-of-the-art radio station at Okhla in the presence of The Times of India group MD Vineet Jain and ENIL MD AP Parigi.
Predominantly in Hindi, the Mirchi programming will capture the sounds and sights of Delhi in a listener-friendly format, claims ENIL officials. They say that It would be as close to the needs and aspirations of local listeners. The programming format developed by Radio Mirchi is based on its successful broadcast experience in the four cities of in Mumbai, Indore, Ahmedabad and Pune, they add.
Unfazed by mounting losses - approximately Rs 360 million in the last financial year ended 31 March - Star and Music Broadcast Pvt. Ltd. combine feel that FM radio has immense potential and the launch of Radio City in Delhi on 29 April is a step in that direction. "From the time FM radio was launched by private players, the average radio listenership in India has gone up from 50 minutes a day to 160 minutes," Star India's radio division COO Sumantra Dutta told journalists on 25 April, while announcing the launch of Radio City in the capital.
After the rocking Mumbai for quite some, the India Today group's Radio Today - 93.5 RED FM would soon be launching its operations in Kolkata in the coming week, adds the release.
Meanwhile, RED claims that it has several surprises in store - including live interviews of the Bollywood stars Vivek Oberoi, Subhash Ghai, Abhishek Bachchan, Rakhi, Karan Johar, Sunny Deol, Anu Malik and Ria Sen aired on the very first day itself.
Touting its official radio partner for the Samsung IIFA Awards tag, RED (the radio station) with attitude claims to cut across SEC and age barriers. Its target audience being from the age group of 18-35 in the SEC AB.
RED FM has signed on the legendary Ameen Sayani, Usha Uthup and Shamshir Rai Luthra as the celebrity RJs on the station, who will feature regularly feature on 93.5 Red FM in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, besides number of other seasoned RJs for regular programming on the station.
RED FM has its plan of action for Delhi already chalked out. List of the programmes to feature is as below:
Good Morning Delhi- A daily morning programme will air information on the traffic, weather and some more info, which the listeners can use.
Delhi Talkies - Targeted at the housewife, shopkeeper or retailer, the show features a television serial guideline, which is a quick wrap-up on the popular K ... serials
Total Timepass- It focuses on games and interaction
Happy Hours - A drive-home show to turn the work hours into fun hours.
Palchhin - A late night show that will be airing mushy music.
Apart from these there are early morning shows airing between 5 and 7 am, airing world music,taking inspiration form the channel's sister company 'Music Today'.
A RED release claims that it will aspire to be witty, reliable, friendly, warm, uncomplicated and honest; also says that it is also technically trendy. Its totally automated song scheduling software is a latest version of international radio software and the air waves will be transmitted from the co-located on the AIR towers, claims the release.
