IndustrySpeak: With informative programming radio players take a leap forward
Music has been a major driver in radio programming, but with the growing need for differentiation in the medium, non-music programming has started to play an important role. exchange4media spoke with some of the major radio players to get their views on such informative shows.
Music has been a major driver in radio programming, but with the growing need for differentiation in the medium, non-music programming has started to play an important role. Radio stations have also started talk shows to create differentiation in their programming with several stations also airing informative shows giving updates on sports and even weather forecasts. With non-music shows gaining more ground nowadays, exchange4media.com spoke with some of the major players to get their views on the same.
Manav Dhanda, VP-Programming, Big FM, noted that music comprised 80 per cent of programming content on radio, while the rest was spoken content – much of which comprised information dissemination to listeners and ‘specials’ across shows.
“At Big FM, information dissemination is customised to ensure it is topical and meets local interests. We also ensure our utilities are more informative, for example, traffic updates are innovatively designed – hence, we do not merely give out information on road-blocks across the city, but also offer solutions by giving information on alternative routes. In addition, we also ensure that the information is made entertaining, hence, it is infotainment. Moreover, radio has several restrictions as far as broadcast of news and sports are concerned, and this limits the amount of information dissemination through radio,” Dhanda pointed out.
Tapas Sen, CPO, Radio Mirchi, observed that listeners were not yet ready for pure talk radio. “As per utilities are concerned, traffic and other instances impacting people’s everyday life and other utility information are very high premium for our listeners. Nearly 90 per cent of listeners are at home and as a result, are not as active as they are in a car, so it becomes a background medium. Music dominates their mindscape and soundscape. However, we have taken care of all utilities like weather forecasts and traffic reports on the channel,” he added.
Nisha Narayanan, Business Head, S FM, is of the opinion that a local medium like radio could be effective for addressing issues like civic amenities and other issues relevant in smaller cities. “In smaller towns, we are taking up issues and asking people to write in about their problems. We also have tie-ups with municipal corporations and have their representatives come on-air and address the issue. Also, in some disaster prone cities, we have tied up with NGOs and other agencies to put in early warning systems. I personally believe that we have managed to attract a wider listenership base due to this,” she said.
Vishnu Athreya, VP-Programming and Brand, Radio One, believes that in today’s regulated radio industry, players couldn’t do much. “Community driven programmes were undertaken by us as well as other stations during calamities and emergencies as radio was the only medium that could effectively deliver results in such situations. With our BBC Ek Mulaqat, we manage to try and update our listeners on knowing a celebrity more closely on a regular basis. With measurement coming in, radio players will try out new shows as they can understand the audience reactions more easily than even before,” he pointed out.
Vehrnon Ibrahim, National Programming Head, Red FM, firmly establishes that music and entertainment are the core offerings of Red FM and most radio stations. Explaining it further, he said, “At Red FM, we only do what the listener wants. They just want music, which we found after every research. ‘Bajaate Raho’ means when our listeners have an issue, we want to share that issue with others by pushing it on air. For this purpose, we have developed tools such as the ‘Red Mike’, which actually empower the listeners to ‘bajaao’ any issue of their choice on the radio station, taking it beyond interactivity to an actual experience of the brand. In a way our RJ talk is also influenced thus, by what our listeners want to talk about and this is why we are truly the station of expression. We do run other information segments, but these are to enable and empower our listeners rather than merely inform them.”
Rana Barua, National Head-Marketing, Radio City, also agrees that music still remains the focal source of entertainment for their listeners. “However, given radio’s immediacy and direct connect with its audience vis-à-vis other mediums, radio especially has a very strong content component, which is largely city-centric. It is imperative for any FM station to keep this ‘city connect’ going. At Radio City, we believe in providing our listeners information which is meaningfully relevant to them and impacts their lives on a day-to-day basis. This is something our RJs look into and manage remarkably well, that is, showcase city specific developments which are of value and relevance to our listeners,” he added.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
TOP STORIES
E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
ShareSwapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp