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Tag: Nishchint Chawla

  • For radio broadcasters, a day to fool listeners

    For radio broadcasters, a day to fool listeners

    MUMBAI: Who says it’s all about cut throat competition and politics among rivals!

    In a first of sorts, on April Fool’s Day, radio broadcasters Win 94.6 FM and Go 92.5 FM jointly delighted Mumbai with a spontaneous gag.

    ‘Kabhi Win Kabhi Go… Its all about loving your listeners,’ happened within minutes and without any pre planning. Go 92.5 FM and Win 94.6, both known for their fun-loving nature and being buddies with their listeners, took good matured pot-shots at each other during the morning show, thus changing the way FM programming is treated, and set set a refreshingly new precedent for the days to come.

    Jaggu and Tarana – Go’s awesome twosome

    Go’s breakfast show hosts, Tarana and Jaggu kicked it off by telling their listeners that Jaggu was doing the rounds of all the radio stations, Radio Mirchi, City, Red and Win with a cake of solidarity to promote peace and brotherhood among all radio station. They also claimed that upon reaching Win, Jaggu was shooed away by Malishka. On hearing this, Win quickly put a fake Jaggu on-air to talk about how the hospitality at Win was excellent, and to say that Win itself was a fantastic radio station.

    Now Win, as part of its April Fools Day plan, had changed their RJs, but retained their names – so it was Divya who was doing Malishka’s show. Go heard all of this as well as “Jaggu” eating his cake at the Win studio and pulled his leg on-air about how the Malishka that he thought was really “Hot,” was not Malishka at all.

    Go’s Vishnu Athreya said, “We originally thought of sending Jaggu dressed as a ‘dove’ to all the radio stations promoting peace and brotherhood. But then because of his bad back we restricted it to a joke. We did approach other radio stations to indulge in this joke, but apart from Win no one else found it funny. Malishka reacted immediately and that is the beauty of Radio! We have noticed in the past that Win has had the same kind of sensibilities as us when it comes to such ideas. At some point we should stop taking ourselves seriously and have fun with the listeners, because it’s all about entertaining them.”

    Win programming manager Sarina D’mello said, “This morning was Radio at its best yet. Both stations have that ‘guy next door’ feel for their listeners, but also have that wicked streak. So when Go began their pot-shots at us, we started salivating with the various options of getting back. It turned out great, and the public loved it. That’s really the way it should be, the stations have always been friends and I see no reason why it shouldn’t reflect in programming. Great radio stations are foot loose and fancy free, just like us.”

    Athreya added, “Who knows next April Fool’s day, Malishka might be doing Tarana’s Show and Jaggu, Divya’s.” On the other hand, Red FM got Delhi junta literally jumping early in the morning as it pulled a prank on Delhiites on April Fools Day.

    In Good Morning Dilli, RJs Vijay and Safia informed the city at large that at 9:35 am on 1 April, Mars, the Moon and the Earth will be in a never-before planetary alignment because of which the gravitational pull on Earth will drop by 40 per cent for around 25 seconds. People who attempt to jump in the specific time-window will be able to jump much higher than they could previously. People were warned that this can only be experienced on the road / ground.

    This prank saw the city jumping and callers calling in to Red FM studios to confirm correct timing of planetary alignment when they ought to jump, whether they could set records highest jump, so on and so forth.

    The station also packed the day with innovative programming, contests – none of which were ‘Asli’ (real). Yet another prank, which caught many Delhiites by surprise, was an ‘Un-reality’ show – Sweety Bansal ki Shaadi kisse.

    An extremely rich industrialists’ daughter – Sweety Bansal decided to take Red FM’s help to find the man of her dreams who would value her for herself and not for her father’s money. Red helped her by taking potential suitors as callers as well Red’s outdoor reporters asking prospects what they would do to marry “Sweety”?

    Commenting on the April Fools Day initiative Red FM COO Nishchint Chawla said, “Red FM had ‘Asli’ masti with its loving fans by doing things which were everything but asli.”

    Innovation sure seems to be the buzz word here!

  • Red FM in association with IIFA Awards yet again

    Red FM in association with IIFA Awards yet again

    MUMBAI: Radio broadcaster 93.5 Red FM is all geared up for the Samsung IIFA Awards. This is the second consecutive year that Red FM has been in association with the awards.

    Speaking of Red FM’s association with IIFA 2004, Red FM COO Nishchint Chawla said, “We are extremely happy to be part of the Samsung IIFA Awards once again this year. The No. 1 radio station has yet again tied up with the No. 1 movie awards. The tie-up between Red and IIFA will lead to a win-win situation for all. Both of us will be able to target each others target group and will be an add-on to each others image and positioning.”

    Since its launch in three cities – Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, 93.5 Red FM has been judged the most popular radio station in Delhi and Kolkata (Source- DRS Survey, July 2003).

    RED FM’s programming includes a star-studded line-up of RJs like Ameen Sayani, Shamshir Rai Luthra, Surendra Sharma and Usha Uthup which compliments an immensely popular team of 93.5 Red FM established RJs including Vijay, Safia, Sachin, Jose, Rakesh, Prajna and Sameep.

  • Radio City RJ Sameep Nanda shifts base to Red FM

    Radio City RJ Sameep Nanda shifts base to Red FM

    NEW DELHI: Radio City’s loss is Red FM’s gain! Radio jockey Sameep Nanda of Radio City has shifted his loyalties to Red FM. Nanda will host the new Red FM morning drive show Namaskar Mumbai.

    Red FM national programming head Vehrnon Ibrahim is delighted with his new acquisition. “Mumbai needed a strong Hindi speaking RJ and Sameep has always impressed me. He is an ‘asli’ RJ. With his experience and intuitive understanding of our format he will be a great addition to our line up,” said Ibrahim.

    Nanda has over 12 years of Radio behind him. Before Radio City he was a core member of Times FM and Radio Mirchi. Speaking on his association with 93.5 Red FM, Nanda said, “Red FM programming is totally ‘bang-on’ with the masses. I observed that over the last 10 months Red FM’s popularity had quietly increased with all the hype of the other stations.”

    “Strong programming and excellent RJs is the key success factor and differentiator in the radio industry. With Sameep joining Red FM, we would further strengthen our programming line-up and bring the best talent to our listeners”, said 93.5 Red FM COO Nishchint Chawla.

    In his new show Namaskar Mumbai, Nanda will bring to listeners a sparkling morning rise that will start their day with a smile. The program will be more music and less talk, giving the Red FM listeners the usual Mumbaiya dose of what’s happening in and around the city, Bollywood gupshup, games, chats with dropped by celebs and tons more all in that unique Nanda style.

  • Talk Show – Radio session yields little fruit

    Talk Show – Radio session yields little fruit

    MUMBAI: If last year’s session on radio at Frames was a somber affair, this year’s discussion was a lively self promotional exercise for the bigger private players, each gung ho on their respective strengths and USPs.

    The morose air heavy with impending payments of license fees due again in a couple of months did not seem to mar the mood of either Radio Mirchi chief A P Parigi or Radio City heavyweight Sumantra Dutta, both of whom wove lengthy discourses on their own stations, while Red FM CEO Nishchint Chawla contented himself with a brief talk on the effectiveness of radio as an advertising option.

    Perhaps it was the covert positive reference to the liberalisation of the radio sector by I&B minister R S Prasad that had a buoyant effect on the mood of the speakers and moderator Anish Trivedi alike.

    The session, which set out to ‘unravel the mystery of effective radio communication’, found some ground realities in the speeches of Unilever’s media planning head B. Venkataraman and Starcom India chief Ravi Kiran. While Venkatraman’s claim that it was well nigh difficult to ascertain whether ad spots bought on radio were actually aired nettled Dutta into countering that it was equivalent to buying Rin (a Lever product) without being sure of its ‘washes the whitest’ claim, Kiran stressed on the need for more interactivity in the medium.

    He also urged advertisers not to consider radio as an ‘afterthought’ medium, as, while it takes take to build reach, radio is a live medium, which does not restrict the imagination of the listener with visuals. As a solution to the continuing tussle between broadcasters and advertisers on monitoring the efficacy of radio as a medium, Venkataraman suggested the setting up of a joint industry body that would look into relevant issues.

    Dutta, who spoke on concepts that would take FM in India forward, said that local audience deliveries are getting critical. “Radio needs to become fashionable, needs a social stamp of approval and content needs to be relevant, immediate and tailored to timebands,” he said, pointing out that FM radio is no longer a community medium, but a one – on – one medium that needs to speak directly to the listener.

    According to Dutta, FM radio today reaches 50 per cent of the population in the cities where FM is active. According to Venkataraman, homes with only a radio and no television set are 27 million in India. The numbers of radio are growing, the advertiser too is giving radio a serious thought, if Kiran and Venkataraman are to be believed. The turnout at the sessions on radio is growing bigger each year, pointed out Parigi, an indicator that interest in the medium is on the rise. 

    Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma who was supposed to speak on public broadcaster All India Radio, however, could not make it to the session, leaving the field open for the private players to make their pitch.With the I&B ministry now poised favourably on the industry recommendations and the Ernst and Young report putting it high on the list of growth areas, radio is just gearing for a serious innings in the country.

  • 93.5 Red FM increases prog. frequency due to public demand

    MUMBAI: Known as the voice of the Indian radio Ameen Sayani will now be heard more on 93.5 Red FM as his show Sangeet Ke Sitaron Ki Mehfil will now be four times a week – from Sunday to Wednesday at 9:00 pm.
    The increased frequency of this programme is due to an over whelming public demand.
    Sayani’s charisma will now continue to enthrall 93.5 Red FM listeners across Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata with interviews, contemporary views, choicest songs and a voice that is the cynosure of every household across the country. His signature style has been instrumental in making Sangeet Ke Sitaron Ki Mehfil the No.1 programme during weekends on all FM radio stations as per a survey conducted by Development and Research Services (DRS) in June 2003.
    Speaking on Sangeet Ke Sitaron Ki Mehfil Sayani said, “This programme reflects some of the nicest work I’ve done. I’m delighted that the show has received positive feedback from RED FM listeners across all age groups.”
    93.5 Red FM is delighted with the response to Sangeet Ke Sitaron Ki Mehfil. Talking about the increased exposure of Sayani, 93.5 Red FM COO Nishchint Chawla said, “We’ve always believed Ameen Sayani is the No.1 RJ and should be on the No.1 station.”
    Sayani has won numerous awards for his contribution to Indian media, including the Golden Abby Award for Outstanding Radio Campaign of the Century (Binaca/Cibaca Geetmala) in 2000 and the prestigious ISA Gold Medal for Contribution to Advertising in 1991.

  • “We are not going for the lowest common denominator” : Nishchint Chawla RED FM COO

    “We are not going for the lowest common denominator” : Nishchint Chawla RED FM COO

    It may not have the best of reasons to be complacent, but RED, the FM offering from the India Today stable, is gung ho about its performance in Mumbai and just as eager to take on competition in Delhi and Chennai by March.

     

    COO Nishchint Chawla, who has a wealth of Radio Mid day experience behind him, is clear that the strategy the channel is currently following, will reap rich dividends in the future, although RED may be lagging behind in the ratings stakes currently. RED may not have the mass following of a Mirchi, but does boast of some quality programming through tie ups with the BBC. A recent IMRB survey put the active listenership of RED at eight million, and Chawla says besides the usual morning radio audience, the channel also attracts a good weekend listenership for its retro music shows.

     

    Chawla spoke to indiantelevision.com about the programming on RED, with particular reference to shows around World Cup cricket, the marketing and promotions for RED and the future of the radio stations as he sees it.

     

    Excerpts –

    Is it a tough life out there in the private FM radio space, particularly in Mumbai?

    Although the license fee structure is a tough one, it is not a situation wherein you cannot make money. There’s always potential to grow the market size. To break even, one may need three to four years, although that again depends on different factors and government policies.

    How are you competing with the other FM players, given the similarity of programming played out on most?

    Radio is a very personal medium. Whereas television is a medium that’s driven by programming that’s shown on it and not by the personality of the channel, it’s a different ball game on radio.

    We play what the city wants. If it happens to be Hindi music, it’s Hindi music that we play. However, let me make it clear that we are not going for the lowest common denominator, nor are we slugging it out for ratings by competing with the other FM stations.

    We are focusing on a certain audience, rather than going mass. While we are not targeting any categories depending on their socio economic class, it is the older, educated audience that gets our attention, rather than going for the younger or the less educated listeners.

    What kind of programming is being spun around World Cup cricket?

    The idea was to go beyond usual cricket programming since our hands are tied as regards live cricket coverage. While we were careful not to replicate programming that’s bound to be there on Sony, we weaved in some trivia and nostalgia with some humour, along with regular live updates, that are being provided by the India Today sports editor Sharda Ugra who’s in South Africa.
    “Whereas television is a medium that’s driven by programming that’s shown on it and not by the personality of the channel, it’s a different ball game on radio”

    What in your opinion needs to be done to gauge the performance of FM radio, in the absence of a standard rating system thus far?

    The need now is to evolve a common currency that needs to go beyond TRPs. Research, independent or otherwise, has to evaluate the effectiveness of the medium. Like in the US, where there are jazz radio stations that cater only to jazz afficianados, radio stations here too are likely to evolve personalities of their own, making it that much easier for media planners as well.

    Who are the advertisers who have come on board RED since its inception?

    Retail advertising has been strong on the channel during occasions like Diwali. While we have had advertisers like lubricants coming on board, it is the TV channels who have stepped up their presence on the station. Over the months, we have had Sony, Hallmark, Sahara and HBO advertising on RED. While the FMCGs have kept away thus far, the launch of RED in Delhi and Chennai should see this sector also increasing its presence on RED.

    Why has RED not been as aggressive in promoting itself as the others have been?

    That’s not true. We did go the whole hog when we started out last year. In September too, we had as many as 200 hoardings put up at various places in the city. We prefer to interact with our TG at strategic places, though. We have had ongoing promotional activities at Crossroads and Imax for some months now, and we use clubs and like happening places as our touch points.

     

  • Red FM introduces live DJ night mixing

    Red FM introduces live DJ night mixing

    MUMBAI: 93.5 Red FM has introduced live DJ night mixing on the station with DJ Nasha. This makes Red the first FM station in the country to introduce this novel concept of live presentation from the studio. 

    The programme broadcasts every Saturday for 4 hours between 8 pm to 12 midnight, and the station claims it has already notched a great fan following. The station claims to have been receiving calls and SMS appreciating the programme, and request for more programmes on the same lines.

    Talking about the introduction of this unique programme, COO Radio Today Nishchint Chawla said: We are excited with the response that we have received from our listeners. DJ Nashas style and music has always been highly appreciated, and therefore we decided to introduce this concept to enable the listeners to savour his music in its true spirit.

    DJ Nasha has been the World DMC Champion India for 2 consecutive years and has worked with various international artists like No Mercy, UB-40, Dogstarr (Keanu Reaves Band), DJ of Ministry of Sound, DJ Xavier Perec (Amsterdam lounge DJ) etc, and is well known in the music and party circuits internationally.

    When asked about the programme, DJ Nasha said: Now we can party even at home. Whenever we are in the party mood, all that we need to do is to tune on to Red and dance to the tunes of DJ Nasha, and maybe go to a disc after midnight.

  • Red FM introduces live DJ night mixing

    Red FM introduces live DJ night mixing

    MUMBAI: 93.5 Red FM has introduced live DJ night mixing on the station with DJ Nasha. This makes Red the first FM station in the country to introduce this novel concept of live presentation from the studio.

     

    The programme broadcasts every Saturday for 4 hours between 8 pm to 12 midnight, and the station claims it has already notched a great fan following. The station claims to have been receiving calls and SMS appreciating the programme, and request for more programmes on the same lines.

     

    Talking about the introduction of this unique programme, COO Radio Today Nishchint Chawla said: “We are excited with the response that we have received from our listeners. DJ Nasha’s style and music has always been highly appreciated, and therefore we decided to introduce this concept to enable the listeners to savour his music in its true spirit.”

     

    DJ Nasha has been the World DMC Champion India for 2 consecutive years and has worked with various international artists like No Mercy, UB-40, Dogstarr (Keanu Reaves Band), DJ of Ministry of Sound, DJ Xavier Perec (Amsterdam lounge DJ) etc, and is well known in the music and party circuits internationally.

     

    When asked about the programme, DJ Nasha said: “Now we can party even at home. Whenever we are in the party mood, all that we need to do is to tune on to Red and dance to the tunes of DJ Nasha, and maybe go to a disc after midnight.”