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Tag: Radio Mirchi

  • Radio Mirchi to launch visual radio in Delhi

    Radio Mirchi to launch visual radio in Delhi

    MUMBAI: Radio Mirchi will unveil a visual radio in Delhi by the end of this month, making it the third city in the world to adopt a technology that will open up a new revenue for the private FM radio operator.

    Radio Mirchi is partnering with Hutch and Airtel to offer this service. The broadcast will be available on Nokia mobile phones with Hewlett-Packard (HP) as the technology provider.

    “We have identified four key markets including Mumbai for launching visual radio. Though it is too early to exploit strong revenues from this medium, it will give us a presence in emerging platforms like mobile phones,” says Entertainment Network (India) Ltd managing director and CEO AP Parigi.

    Radio Mirchi will speed ahead of Virgin Radio which is planning to launch visual radio later this year. “We are doing test runs and will launch it this year,” says Virgin Radio UK director of digital media James Cridland.

    Helsinki in Finland and Singapore are the other two places where visual radio has kicked off commercially. The plan to launch in Delhi was announced today by Radio Mirchi deputy-CEO Prashant Pandey at the India Radio Forum 2006.

    Radio stations are turning to new revenue streams as they are facing competition from emerging technologies. Specific threats from MP3, which had an estimated 55 million devices in the market in 2005, and internet webcasting are eating into the earnings of traditional radio. So the way out is to adopt into new digital platforms like direct-to-home (DTH) and digital audio broadcasting (DAB).

    Virgin is moving its content to such platforms. “About 28 per cent of our audience is coming from new platforms. As for visual radio, it is important to have a presence in this segment. Nokia will have 100,000 handsets in UK for visual radio by the end of the year,” says Cridland.

  • B.A.G plans to invest Rs 500 million in radio biz

    B.A.G plans to invest Rs 500 million in radio biz

    MUMBAI: B.A.G Infotainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of B.A.G. Films Ltd, plans to invest over Rs 500 million for its FM radio business spread over 10 towns.

    The investment includes expenses towards infrastructure, equipments and studio facilities. The company will also have to contribute to the common transmission infrastructure. “We have bid successfully at very low costs. This has given us an edge and our outgo towards license fee is just 10 per cent of our project cost,” says B.A.G Intotainment CEO Rajiv Mishra.

    B.A.G is also trying to work out an equity arrangement among a consortium of small and regional radio operators who are in the process of being formed for collectively tapping advertising. “Our feeling is that there should be a common bonding for the consortium that will make it last. This will be best served by an equity arrangement among the partners. We are in talks towards this,” says Mishra.

    The consortium of radio operators for ad sales is in the process of being finalised. B.A.G will lead this combination which will have a national footprint to present before advertisers. Besides pressuring on higher ad rates, the partnership arrangement can help drive down operating costs for these FM broadcasting companies.
    B.A.G expects to rope in 40 radio companies as members of this consortium. The idea is to counter the bigger players like Radio Mirchi, Radio City, Sun TV group and Anil Ambani-controlled Adlabs. “We hope to form the consortium by 15 July. We have already signed up with six companies including Renecka Fincon and Gwalior Farms. We are also in advanced talks with many others,” says Mishra.

    B.A.G has bagged licenses to operate stations in Shimla, Patiala, Karnal, Hissar, Ahmednagar, Jabalpur, Dhule, Jalgaon, Muzzaffarpur and Ranchi. “We expect the second phase of FM stations to be active by December. The marketing efforts should start somewhere in September-October. As for selecting radio companies who would form the consortium, we are careful that in each locality no competing operator is selected. We are selecting geographical blocks,” says Mishra.

  • PR Pundit appointed communications partner to CNN-IBN, in addition to Channel7

    PR Pundit appointed communications partner to CNN-IBN, in addition to Channel7

    New Delhi, May 30, 2006: CNN-IBN, the English news channel from Television Eighteen (TV 18) network, in a move to strengthen its external communications strategy has appointed PR Pundit to manage its Public Relations across India.

    Sharing his views on this appointment, Dilip Venkatraman, Director Marketing, said, “Tailoring communications to meet the local needs of every individual market is crucial in overcoming business challenges. PR Pundit is already working on our other brand Channel7 and we are confident that their appointment will add further impetus in raising the external communications profile of CNN-IBN.”

    “We are delighted to work with CNN IBN which displays an unmatched passion for news. The robust objectives of communicating news and views are indeed exciting. We look forward to being an integral part of this challenge,” added Archana Jain, Director, PR Pundit

    PR Pundit is a full service dedicated public relations company offering an exhaustive range of services to meet strategic communication needs in a challenging operating environment. PR Pundit advises AT Kearney, Bvlgari, Moet-Hennessy, Oriflame India, Pizza Hut, Radio Mirchi, Royal Sundaram, Swarovski CCB, etc. are some of the other client handled by them. For further information on PR Pundit visit www.prpundit.com

    For further information please contact:
    Supriti Sinha, PR Pundit, New Delhi
    Tel: 2656 0415, 2651 3075, 9810960590

  • Radio Mirchi felicitates Mother’s Day on 14 May

    Radio Mirchi felicitates Mother’s Day on 14 May

    MUMBAI: The FM radio brand Radio Mirchi will be celebrating a week long Mother’s Day from 8 May to 14 May.

    Radio Mirchi has made plans to take all mothers to shop and party with the Mirchi jocks on the occasion.

    How? Mere paas teri maa hain…tere paas kya bacha hain?… is an attempt to kidnap all Mumbai moms. Listeners or family members have to call up Radio Mirchi on 40983983 between 8 May and 13 May and respond to the question, Mere paas teri maa hain…tere paas kya bacha hain? The 10 wittiest responses will get their mothers enrolled with Mirchi, informs an official release.

    On 14 May, the selected mothers will join the Mirchi team to celebrate Mother’s Day.

  • Radio Mirchi goes on air in Bangalore

    Radio Mirchi goes on air in Bangalore

    MUMBAI/ BANGALORE: Following a trial period of one week, Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL) radio brand — Radio Mirchi formally went on-air in Bangalore today. Radio Mirchi 95 FM is the second 24 hour FM radio station to go on-air in Bangalore.

    The first FM radio station in the city is Music Broadcast Pvt LTD Radio City. Radio Mirchi is the first brand to go on air in the phase II FM, within three months after completion of the Phase II bidding.

    The information & broadcasting had earlier this year awarded 280 licences to 36 private operators for running FM radio stations in 91 cities.

    Speaking on the potential of FM radio to revolutionise media consumption, ENIL CEO and MD AP Parigi said “Radio’s strength is its immense flexibility, adaptability and suitability for a modern and active life. It is the best companion. Thus our aim is to deliver programmes that are relevant to the people of Bangalore. This is a station for the people of Bangalore – playing their music and speaking their language.”

    He further added that “We expect the Mirchi style of programming of Radio Mirchi to revitalise the position of radio in Bangalore, just the way we have been able to win the loyalty of listeners in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and other cities.”

    The station is positioned as a sunshine channel, with a baseline which reads “It’s Hot” With round the clock programming, Radio Mirchi will bring in contemporary music, city happenings, Bollywood gossip, special interviews, exclusive film promotional tie-ups and lots more. 24 hours hit Hindi music is what Radio Mirchi promises to deliver to its listeners, informs an official release.

    Radio Mirchi 93.3 FM will broadcast a diverse mix of shows including Hello Bangalore, a charged up breakfast show to say hello! to a bright new day; Bombat Bhama, a gossip based show for the housewives; Bitti Ticket, for the latest gossip from the films, an afternoon show for the students; Chill Maadi, a chilled out evening drive time gaming show; Mirchi Talkies for retro music and Dr. Love, to handle teenager love problems.

    Moreover, the station uses the ‘best of class’ transmission and studio equipment to broadcast crystal clear stereophonic sound to its listeners.

    ENIL had launched its first radio station in the city of Indore in October 2001. At present Radio Mirchi is operational in 10 cities which includes Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Indore, Ahmedabad and Pune.

  • Radio Mirchi turnover rises 58 per cent in FY06, net profit at Rs 295 million

    Radio Mirchi turnover rises 58 per cent in FY06, net profit at Rs 295 million

    MUMBAI: Entertainment Network India Limited (ENIL) has posted a 57.69 per cent rise in gross turnover to Rs 1.2 billion for the fiscal ended 31 March 2006, as against Rs 762.2 million a year ago.

    Net profit stood at Rs 294.6 million as compared to a net loss of Rs 179.2 million in FY 2004-05.

    The earning before interest, depreciation, tax and amortisation excluding license fee for the year was Rs 445.7 million, a rise of 61.5 per cent over the previous year.

    For the last quarter of FY 06 fiscal, net profit was at Rs 54.9 million. ENIL, the company which operates FM broadcasting under the brand name of radio Mirchi, has announced its results for the first time since its initial public offering (IPO) in February 2006. Comparative fourth quarter figures for the previous year are, thus, not available.

    ENIL’s consolidated net profit stood at Rs 310.5 million for FY 06 while total income was at Rs 1.4 billion. Earning before interest, depreciation, tax and amortisation was Rs 407.6 million.

    Under the consolidated results fall the wholly owned subsidiary company Times Innovative Media Private Limited (TIMPL) for a period of five months. TIMPL was incorporated on October 26, 2005 and it acquired Event Management (3600) and Out of Home Media (Times OOH) business from Time Innovative Media Limited (TIML).

    ENIL has set its sights on increasing its turnover from the additional radio stations to be set up this year. The company has already launched its radio stations in Hyderabad, Jaipur and Bangalore.

    Times OOH won advertising rights of Delhi Metro – Connaught Place and Dwarka (13 stations), Kolkata Metro (80 hoardings spread across the city) amd Delhi-Noida toll bridge for a license fee of Rs.340 million payable over two to five years.

  • Radio Mirchi 95 FM launches in Hyderabad

    Radio Mirchi 95 FM launches in Hyderabad

    MUMBAI: Entertainment Network (India) Limited has launched its Radio Mirchi 95 FM radio station in Hyderabad. The station went on-air at 6 am today, with the voice of Southern superstar Chiranjeevi being the first voice on the station.

    Radio Mirchi 95 FM Hyderabad is the 10th station of ENIL to start operations. Radio Mirchi 105 FM Jaipur and Radio Mirchi 93.3 FM Bangalore went on air on 17 April, making them the first private FM radio stations to go on-air under the Phase II of radio privatization.

    In the Phase II bidding process, over 250 frequencies across 90 cities were successfully auctioned in a process that lasted 5 weeks in January and February 2006. ENIL was successful in winning 25 licenses in addition to the 7 stations it already operates.

    Speaking on the occasion, ENIL MD & CEO A P Parigi said that with these back to back launches, ENIL had managed to demonstrate its project management capabilities. He added that in all three stations detailed market research was carried out to provide inputs to programming – so that the station reflected the tastes and aspirations of each city.

    Under the Phase II rules, radio stations are permitted to commence broadcasting by way of interim transmission facilities in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur.

  • Radio Mirchi launches in Bangalore and Jaipur

    Radio Mirchi launches in Bangalore and Jaipur

    MUMBAI: Entertainment Network (India) Limited (ENIL), which runs radio stations by the brand name – Radio Mirchi, has launched FM radio stations in Jaipur and Bangalore under the same brand name.

    Radio Mirchi 105 FM (Jaipur) and Radio Mirchi 93.3 FM (Bangalore) have become the first private FM radio stations to be launched under the Phase II of radio privatisation.

    In the Phase II bidding process over 250 frequencies across 90 cities were successfully auctioned in a process that lasted five weeks in January and February this year. ENIL won 25 licenses in addition to the seven stations it already operates.

    ENIL managing director and CEO A P Parigi said, “ENIL had established a landmark by launching radio stations barely two months after the completion of the bidding process. This was due to the meticulous planning and speedy implementation by the team at Radio Mirchi. This would not have been possible without a proactive ministry of information and broadcasting and other agencies like the Wireless Planning Cell and SACFA that put various permissions on a fast track basis and made the launch of radio stations possible in a short period.”

    Under the Phase II rules, radio stations are permitted to commence broadcasting by way of interim transmission facilities in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur. ENIL is already present in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.

    The seven stations that ENIL already operates Radio Mirchi in the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Indore, Ahmedabad and Pune.