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Tag: Radio

  • Radio For The Community

    Radio For The Community

    Radio is theater of the mind. Once you get people laughing, they’re listening and you can tell them almost anything.

    That’s the motto of Radio MUST, Socho, seekho, bolo, badlo, chamka do duniya ko, jeeet lo is jahaan ko….

    (This motto has been composed into a tune by a few students and recently Shankar Mahadevan very cordially sung it for us)

    Community radio – as the name suggests – is radio for the community, by the community and of the community.

    Of course, the meaning of the word community is interesting and differs from person to person. Today, in the age of radio revolution, the airwaves may appear to be jam packed, but there is still a lot of space for a community radio.

    Essentially in India, the concept of community radio is still very unclear as it was never cultivated. But after the Supreme Court verdict that the airwaves are public property, many licences for community radios are being given all across the country. But still, for us Indians who still can’t properly differentiate between traditional radio and the new private radios, community radio is altogether a new concept. Many people will further ask, ‘do we really need another kind of radio? Or is there space for such kind of a radio?’

    The community radio movement has gained a lot of pace over the years in the US, UK South America and Australia. In places like Bolivia, there are community radios even for minors and are doing pretty well. It makes sense to have a dedicated community radio for say NRIs residing in a English county or a community radio that caters to the specific needs of the farmer community. Basically a community radio is a non profit, non commercial application used to share information among the given community.

    The traditional public radio broadcasting service is a strictly guarded and regulated medium of the government to provide information which they think is right. And we have the new players i.e. the private radio broadcasters for whom it’s a medium to invest in the long run and make money out of entertainment.

    Having stated the different types of radio, we need to understand a very basic thing and that is ‘radio par dikhta nahi hai’. One who truly understands this fundamental point will rule the airways. Maybe that’s the reason why most of the radio stations in the metros sound the same.

    But talking about community radio, in today’s world, it has a great role to play in terms of providing correct, precise and useful information to the people on a host of topics. Be it farming practices, garbage management, health consciousness, etc. Sounds pretty serious and gross… But if all this information can be transferred through the radio waves in an entertaining manner, the purpose is served. And that’s exactly what you mean by infotainment.

    Many universities across the country are now being given licences to operate community radios in their campuses. A community radio service can be heard across a 15 km area as it can have a maximum of 50W transmitter. Anna FM of the Annamalai University, Chennai, was the first campus community radio to be set up in India and it is still doing very well. Many universities have followed but have not been able to match up to the level of broadcast set by Anna FM.

    Last year, Mumbai University also got a license to operate an FM community radio from its campus. Not many people have imagined or tried to use the FM radio waves to provide academic information to the people. But Radio MUST @107.8FM (Mumbai University student’s transmission) will dare to explore the hidden treasure of infotainment through this community radio. In a city like Mumbai, which already has eight FM stations, what can a simple FM community radio offer or can it make a difference?

    With nearly 75 departments in the university, along with 400 colleges in and around Mumbai affiliated to the university, Radio MUST has huge potential. Also, being a part of the sesquicentennial celebrations (150 yrs) of the university, people have great expectations from Radio MUST. With the radio station coming up at the Kalina campus, this FM community radio needs to be handled with care and in an innovative manner.

    Here we would like to set a benchmark in terms of the programming. With Mumbaikars already having had a feel of what FM radio is all about, it will be a great challenge at Radio MUST to provide a similar kind of programming and packaging without the popular music.

    The content will be sheer infotainment. Information ranging from academic to social issues to civic responsibilities to slum redevelopment to career options to college festivals to exams and more. The possibilities are unlimited. Not just students but even ex students and volunteers can join in the bandwagon to share important and interesting information through this community radio.

    We at Radio MUST hope to utilize the radio waves efficiently with a lot of entertainment. This community radio will be a professionally managed non commercial radio and may just turn out to be the nursery for future radio professionals. This radio station will be run by all the students and these students will get a stipend paid by the university for all the work they do. So it becomes a double incentive for all.

    We also plan to upgrade out systems in the near future as the colleges affiliated to Mumbai University are spread over a large area geographically. Also, we plan to stream it live on the Mumbai University website for greater coverage.

    Already students from various colleges are working on a variety of programs. So you may soon be able to tune in to Munnabhai and Circuit discussing management fundas, Devdas and Chandramukhi talking about HIV AIDS awareness, James Bond talking about careers in forensic sciences. The list is pretty impressive… mixed together with information about exams, results, festivals, college happenings, social messages etc. this will be an open forum for all who want to make this city a better place to live.

    And who better than the future of the country, the youngsters, the students, to do the job. With all the rules and regulations for a FM community radio being followed, Radio MUST will become a must for all of us.

    Do you have an opinion on brands taking a social stance. Help Pankaj Athawale write the next chapter. Post your thoughts to editor@indiantelevision.com

    (The author is Mumbai University FM community radio head Pankaj Athawale)

    (The views expressed here are those of the author and Indiantelevision.com need not necessarily subscribe to the same)

  • Frames to have sessions on radio, animation

    Frames to have sessions on radio, animation

    MUMBAI: Frames, the convention for the business of Indian entertainment organised by Ficci, will take place from 26 – 28 March in Mumbai.

    Radio and animation are two of the topics that will have sessions devoted to them.
    One session is called Creating Compelling Content for Radio. The oldest electronic medium in the world is one of the newest rage in India. Viewers will learn what it takes to create a compelling content for Radio

    Then there is a Plenary Session called Radio: Music & Beyond. In India, radio is going through a resurgence phase. The medium which once looked out and not in trend is now very much in fashion and is escalating in term of its reach day by day. Viewres will get a feel of the future on basis of success stories, which have turned around the radio business all across the globe.

    As far as the aniomation track is concerned there will be a session on gaming. Gaming offers strong business opportunities. In the US, it is believed that gaming is as big as Hollywood. In India gaming industry is expected to grow at CAGR of 78 per cent . In addition to mobile gaming, PC and console are also expected to add to pie. Lets explore…

    Theer will also be a Master Class: Scriptwriting for animation. The success of animation relies on the strength of the story telling. There is no denying that art and technology are significant but the praana of any animated product is the script. Even a good fable could wobble if scripted badly. What does it take to write an animated script?

    The plenary session looks at visual effects.

    Visual effects have become the integral part of any project. The entertainment industry is witnessing an increased amount of usage of visual effects. VFX is primarily a Hollywood phenomenon. Viewers will get an understanding of the same.

    Another session is called Developing Animation Content: 360 Degrees. As Indian animation industry is maturing the studios are fast realizing that the real action lies in creating its own IP and having it own shows. Shows produced for not just the local market but the global market. The idea behind this panel is to have broadcasters, producers, writers and licensors to share their insights. This will provide the audience a 360-degree perspective on how internationally content is created, produced and licensed.

    Frames will also look at the process of moving From Comics to Animation. One of the old means of kid’s entertainment; comics is a powerful tool of story telling. Comics are very effective in imparting cultural and social values to kids besides being highly entertaining. Now animation is the modern way of story telling, which can serve as direct extension of comics.

    Frames also looks at creating an Animation IP with Global appeal. As the market is maturing, the Indian studios are moving up in the value chain and coming out with their own IPs. Though these properties may be well accepted in India, but where do they stand in the global market? What does it take to create a product that is internationally marketable and acceptable?

  • TV gaining ground in Afghanistan despite obstacles: report

    TV gaining ground in Afghanistan despite obstacles: report

    MUMBAI: Despite continued difficulties with security and reconstruction, television is gaining ground in Afghanistan as the most important news and entertainment source in urban areas, particularly the capital, Kabul.

    Recent surveys have been conducted by US media and public opinion research organisation InterMedia.

    Jacob English who is an InterMedia Project Manager for the Middle East and North Africa says, “Television use and importance is rising most quickly in Kabul, where socioeconomic conditions are better than in the rest of the country, and among young people 15-24.

    “From 2005 to 2006, television access in the city rose from 59 to 78 per cent. Even urban residents who can’t afford to buy a television set have greater access to places where TV is available-others’ homes, cafes and work places. However, due to problems with infrastructure, mainly a lack of consistent electricity and little disposable income, television’s appeal is more socially desirable than affordable for many Afghans.”

    In a country where 84 per cent of the population is rural, the urban-rural split is pronounced: nationwide only 37 per cent of Afghans claim to watch TV weekly, compared to 89 per cent in Kabul.

    Kabul’s viewers can choose from six privately run channels. InterMedia found that Tolo TV, funded by an Australian based Afghan businessman, is most popular, with programs including a nightly newscast, roundtable discussions, Islamic programming, and shows on cinema, cooking, music and sports. Afghan State TV is the second most important information source.

    The station’s principal focus is news, the tone of which is usually consistent with the government line. Other challenges remain. More than 25 years of war has devastated the country’s infrastructure, leaving radio as the most reliable means of news and entertainment (Afghanistan remains a radio culture – 92 per cent of Afghans own a radio, 73 per cent listen weekly).

    In a country where 56 per cent of the people are under 34, young Afghans embrace television and other new technologies more readily than older generations. TV access among those 15-24 has remained steady at more than 30 per cent since 2004, but averages less than 15 per cent for those over 45.

    International and local media producers realise this and are creating programmes to target young Afghans. Young Afghans, English says, are becoming more curious about new technologies and are most likely to drive media consumption patterns in the long run.

    “Once this new generation sees and hears the images and voices of television, their demand for this media will likely rise. It’s unlikely that they will return to the radio of their parents,” English concludes.

  • ‘Shoonya’ Indian entry at Rotterdam film fest

    ‘Shoonya’ Indian entry at Rotterdam film fest

    MUMBAI: Century Communication Limited (CCL) will have a presence at 36th International Rotterdam film festival held in The Netherlands, from 24 January to 4 February 2007, with Shoonya the official selection from India.

    The firm is an integrated media and entertainment company with interests in airtime sales, post production of video and film, radio, digital news room services

    Shoonya went through the digital intermediate process at post production facility Pixion. Pixion studios have introduced IQ in­ India making it the holder of the largest concentration of Quantel systems in India . Pixion facilities are used to provide complete solutions ranging from offline to online processing, graphics and digital sound for broadcasters and animation design filmmakers. These functions normally account for about 25 per cent of the total budget allocation made by any producer in every project.

    The film by the debutant director Arindam Mitra, was one of the three films selected from India along with films of veteran Film-makers Girish Kasaravalli and Gautam Ghosh.

    Pixion CEO Naresh Malik says that the film was shot on the HDV format, which was converted digitally through the DI process at Pixion and transferred back to film for the cinema audience.

    “The entire DI process took close to four weeks and was colour graded by Robert Lang, a film grade artist at Pixion. Shoonya has been a pleasant experience for us and we take great pride in this film’s international acceptance and success.”

  • AIR conducts trial runs for digital short wave

    AIR conducts trial runs for digital short wave

    NEW DELHI: The first digital transmitter for All India Radio (AIR) on the short wave is already going through a successful trial run, officials say, adding that the pilot run for the medium wave digital radio too, will commence from May or June this year.

    The transmitter (250 kw) – which started operating from Republic Day this year is on the short wave band and broadcasting for Delhi, with the ‘skip distance’ reduced to “near zero”, officials have revealed to indiantelevision.com, and data transmission is also on.

    This means that if you have the required receiver, you could here and now access digital radio, and while listening to radio news or music, you could read on your set the news flashes and even see where the bulls or bears are in the stock market, said officials, requesting not to be named.

    The system is operating on DRM technology, which AIR experts feel is the best choice, as it covers all existing bands, medium, short and long waves.

    The handsets are being taken to various locations in Delhi now, and being tested with the required equipment, and it has been found that the skip distance, or the distance between where the transmitter is and the first point from where the waves are actually accessible, has been reduced from almost zero in some places, to one or two kilometres in others. The usual skip distance would be around 70 km.

    But as a senior official explained, skip distance is not a major issue. “We could reduce the skip distance for analogue too, depending on the content and the target audience.”

    What he meant was that if the programme is being broadcast from Delhi but for Jharkhand, the skip distance could be extended to 1,000 km, and for, say, England, it could made available from about 3,000 km from where the transmission is taking place.

    These adjustments can be made in repositioning the antenna, they explained.

    “The point is that we have been successful in handling this technology and the transmitter is functioning perfectly. The only problem is that receivers are not available in the country,” the official held.

    According to him, the receivers, for which costs have been calculated, at the moment come for euro 200. But as officials in charge of the AIR digitalisation programme have been saying, the cost will come down with increase in demand.

    The big calculation is that once India and China go for DRM technology, that would mean something close to half the world’s population, and most market players would look at the sheer volume and cut the prices.

    “There are various standards in digital radio transmission, officials explained, which include Eureka 147 DAB, IBOC (HD Radio) and DRM. But the latter allows transmission on all the bands we presently have and also the FM band.

    The advantage of DRM technology is that no additional band allocation is required and no additional spectrum is needed.

    What the trial transmission is now giving is FM quality sound on medium and short waves and CD quality sound on FM, officials said.

    “Objective measurements are going on for sound quality and we shall check all the myriad factors before we go for expansion,” the officials asserted.

    There is dialogue within the DRM Consortium, the officials said, and efforts are being made to rope in member countries, with an eye to cutting down the cost of receivers.

    But when would private players come in and add to the market factor that would reduce price for tabletop digital radio sets?

    The officials said that FM had been set up 20 years before the market started seeing the money in it. But with the FM experiment successful, market players may not take that long with digital radio. “This could happen in three or four years.

    “Our point is to create the infrastructure and that has been successfully done in the initial phase of experimentation,” the officials said.

  • BIG 92.7 FM hits Chandigarh

    BIG 92.7 FM hits Chandigarh

    Mumbai: BIG 92.7 FM, the radio initiative from Adlabs Films Pvt. Ltd launched its station in Chandigarh. This would make it ths12 station of the network.

    Commenting on the station’s entry into Chandigarh, Big 92.7 FM COO Tarun Katial said, “We are very excited about launching in the city of Chandigarh and we want the tunes of BIG 92.7 FM to echo across the length and the breadth of the country. The programming mix of the station has been put together after much research and understanding of our listeners requirements. We are completely geared and are eagerly looking forward to entertaining the city of Chandigarh.”

    In the first phase of its launches, Big 92.7 FM set up Stations in the cities of Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Mumbai, Jammu, Srinagar, Aligarh, Jhansi & Bikaner. The second phase of launches will take Big 92.7 FM to several mini-metros, taking the total count of stations to 45.

  • WorldSpace kicks off satellite awards initiative

    WorldSpace kicks off satellite awards initiative

    MUMBAI: WorldSpace Satellite Radio is looking to provide subscribers with a personalised listening experience throughout this month.

    It kicked off ‘Honors Week’ with its own inaugural satellite radio awards show, Worldspace Honours, on 12 February 2007 live from Studio 2 at Abbey Road, the legendary recording studio of The Beatles.

    WorldSpace Honours is the first satellite radio award show to recognise music and artistic contribution by artists from more than 20 musical genres represented on WorldSpace channels ranging from Up Country to Jhankaar and The System to Shruti. The honorees will be chosen by WorldSpace’s executive selection committee made up of programming staff from each of the 20 channels represented.

    WorldSpace Satellite Radio VP global programming William Sabatini says, “WorldSpace Honours presents a completely new format for satellite music awards and was created to reflect the diversity of our music programming, the expertise of our staff, and the broad range of preferences of our subscribers. We are also thrilled to be announcing our choices for the WorldSpace Honours, live from the prestigious Abbey Road Studios.”

    WorldSpace VP content marketing Ted Kelly, and WorldSpace india director of network programming Velu Shankar will host the awards show and will announce this year’s 23 honourees. Specialty programming is being created by the company to showcase each artist and will include interviews, career highlights, background information and their music.

    Subscribers can listen throughout the day for all honourees and can tune in to their favorite WorldSpace Satellite Radio channel from 16-19 February 2007, when each honouree’s works will be showcased throughout the weekend.

    “Honours Week” will also feature the second annual “UPop @ Abbey Road Sessions” which has officially kicked off with the Honours Award Show on 12 February 2007 and run through 15 February. The sessions feature four days of performances and recording sessions from some of yesterday’s and today’s stars, live from Abbey Road Studio 2. Additionally, WorldSpace will again host the global broadcast of Europe’s biggest music event—the Brit Awards—on Feb. 14. The live broadcast will feature backstage and red carpet interviews, celebrity appearances and performances by more than a dozen superstars.

    Channels that will air music of the honourees include including Maestro, Riff, Potion, Radio Voyeger, Spin, Surabhi, Ghandharv, Jhankaar, Spandana and Moksha.

  • WorldSpace to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special offer

    WorldSpace to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special offer

    MUMBAI: WorldSpace Satellite Radio is using Valentine’s Day 14 February 2007 with Radio Amore, its international love songs channel.

    To avail of the WorldSpace Valentine Offer one can buy a WorldSpace receiver worth Rs. 1499 and get a pair of speakers free. This special offer is valid till 18 February 2007. Receivers and subscriptions can be collected from retails outlets across your city, WorldSpace lounges and special valentine kiosks set up in malls.

    One can also participate in games and other offerings being organised at the malls during this period. Subscriptions start from Rs.1000 for six months to Rs.1800 for 12 months and Rs. 3250 for 24 months.

    WorldSpace chief marketing officer Harshad Jain says, “Consumers across India have taken to WorldSpace with open arms. And, with our channel Radio Amore playing all-time favourite international love songs, WorldSpace makes an ideal Valentine gift”.

    Radio Amore plays international love songs from across the world featuring artists such as Barbara Streisand, Foreigner, Air Supply, Lionel Ritchie, Luther Vandross and Journey.

  • Ficci gears up for Frames convention

    Ficci gears up for Frames convention

    MUMBAI: Frames, the convention for the business of Indian entertainment organised by Ficci, will take place from 26 – 28 March in Mumbai.

    Business delegation from over 20 countries is expected for the event which is in its eight year. This year Italy is a partner country.

    The television track kicks off with a plenary session – Regulatory Framework for Entertainment Industry on the opening day.

    There has been a regular debate among various stakeholders on regulation. How much of regulation should be there? Should the content regulation be consistent across all delivery mediums such as TV, radio, films and print? Should there be a price regulation? Or the industry should be left to market forces to evolve on its own?

    With the boom of news channels, there will be a session on Changing face of News. In order to survive, news channels along with newsworthiness should have something different. Along with managing editorial content, the gatekeepers are also acting as brand managers.

    Viewers wanting a global perspective of television can attend Fresh TV around the World. This special session, now a regular item at the television trade events in Cannes, France Mip TV and Mipcom, presents the world’s freshest and most popular TV shows of the season, specially edited for Frames participants.

    This includes clips from the world’s most successful, innovative and most talked about TV shows. Based on the monthly The Wit Fresh TV Report which spots new shows launched in more than 30 markets worldwide, the presentation also covers the most creative trends in different programming genres.

    With Cas and DTH already introduced, Frames will have a Plenary Session on The Last Mile: Battle of reaching consumers. The challenge of retaining existing consumers is going to be tough. Are existing distributors well equipped to take up this challenge?

    Another plenary session examines the importance of content. Innovative marketing and promotional campaigns can be of little hope unless it is fuelled with winning content. Irrespective of platform, the key to success is high quality content. Can anybody afford to disagree?

    There will also be a focus on the Asian TV Market in a session. Asia has common cultural values thereby having huge potential of sharing content with countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, and Singapore. How the trade of content can be further strengthened among these countries?

    The Film Track kicks off with the crucial topic of marketing and distribution. This has always been an integral part of the business plan for film producers. The success of a film no longer depends on just the content, storyline and the starcast, but also on how well the film is marketed. The successes of Krissh, Don and Dhoom 2 in India scenario are prime example.

    The session will discuss the new methods employed to get to the target audience especially in international markets. Another session looks at digital cinema. From Celluloid to digital …Indian multiplexes and stand alone theatres are adopting the digital technology. Earlier business models were driving the technological applications. The scenario is just the opposite now, it’s the technology driving the business of Indian Cinema. The digital technology is changing the way the movies are being watched…. What lies in the future?

    Another session examines whether remakes and sequels revisits the past or is it the result of intellectual bankruptcy. Indian films now have a lot of sequels and remixes. Sequels of Munnabhai, Krissh, Hera Pheri, Dhoom and remakes like Don and Umrao Jaan and their success has added a new dimension to the Indian film industry. Some see it as a case of intellectual bankruptcy. In the era of commercialisation does storytelling hold a chance?

    What makes popular cinema tick? Is there a magic formula for success at box office? Increasingly the taste and sensibilities of the Indian audiences are changing. This is reflected in the different genres of movies making box office history this year. Films like Dhoom 2, Krishh, Rang De Basanti and Munnabhai have generated mass hysteria. There is a radical change in the scripts, treatment and presentation. The changing trends of Hindi films will be looked at in a session.

  • Digital online content revenues to touch €8.3 billion in 2010 in Europe

    Digital online content revenues to touch €8.3 billion in 2010 in Europe

    MUMBAI: Revenues from online content will reach €8.3 billion by 2010 in Europe, a growth of over 400 per cent in five years, says a new study by media analyst Screen Digest for the European Commission’s Directorate General Information Society and Media.

    The study entitled Interactive Content and Convergence: Implications for the information Society had two major objectives.

    Firstly, to assess the potential growth of digital content including TV, movies, games, radio, music and publishing content across new distribution platforms and technologies, such as interactive TV, broadband and mobile. Secondly, and most importantly, to identify the current and potential economic, technical and legal obstacles that might hinder the exploitation of digital content in Europe.

    The research found that the spread of broadband, the roll-out of advanced mobile networks, and the massive adoption of digital devices mean that online content is on the verge of becoming mass market, especially in the sector of music and games, where the proportion of revenues made online already represent a significant percentage of overall income. Although the European market is growing steadily, technological, economic and legal challenges were identified that need to be addressed to ensure European creative industries can maximise the potential economic and social benefits.

    The research will be a contribution to the communication on ’Content Online in Europe’s Single Market’ which should be presented later this year by Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media.

    The report highlights some of the key obstacles to developing online content and assesses their market impact up to 2010. These include:

    Technology: Although broadband access is spreading in Europe there are still wide ranging differences between countries. The average broadband penetration per capita was 17 per cent at the end of 2006, with 30 per cent in Denmark, 21 per cent in the UK and only 2.5 per cent in Greece. For mobile services, the relatively slow uptake of 3G in Europe (11 per cent at end-2005), and the sometimes confusing pricing and structure of data tariffs are obstacles still to be overcome.

    Copyright. Issues here include difficulties in accessing content due to the definitions of new media, exploitation rights, terms of trade and collective management of rights at international level all have the capacity to negatively impact access to content. However Screen Digest’s view is that many of the difficulties could be solved through business and legal practice in the medium to long term.

    Digital piracy still significantly limits potential online revenue and dissuades rights-holders from making content available online. An answer to this is efficient Digital Rights Management systems (DRM) to manage and protect digital content.

    As the market matures, evolving business practises will tackle many obstacles but some others may require national or EU legislation to provide legal certainty for consumers, content providers, service providers and technology providers.

    Screen Digest senior analyst Vincent Letang says, “This was a fascinating consultancy brief for Screen Digest to be part of. The scope of the project was huge: over the nine months we interviewed 180 entities in Europe, including content and technology providers, network operators and regulators. In addition we carried out significant research and analysis across 25 European countries and many media sectors. We are very proud that the research we have done will contribute to the European Commission’s policy on digital content and help companies in the EU understanding the potential for revenue and jobs creation in the region.”