Can I go on-air in Bangalore?

My friends in America have been tuning into City1016 since a long long time and swear by it. It's the only one I know that broadcasts the same content they do on radio - also online. So while they sit in America, they are listening to radio of Dubai  - with content about another city / country etc - but seem totally ok with it! So why do people keep talking about local content, importance of the city or town or whats happening around them?

When I shifted to Bangalore, of course I met people here in the radio industry. I wanted to check out the possibilities. But when I thought of going on-air, I double checked with myself. I could have done it easily since I have done it before and it comes naturally to me. But should I do it? It bothered me that I did not know the city well enough. In fact, what if I pronounced the area name wrong while giving a traffic update? Marathalli is pronounced differently even by locals here. What is KR Market? what is sold there? - later get to know its kind of like Crawford Market - but have I been there? Have I had the coffee at Brahmin Coffee Bar? And I decided, its just not fair. It is unethical to go on-air with half baked information and just faff around about how great Bangalore is and how lovely the weather is.

When I was in Mumbai, I saw a lot of these RJs who were from various parts of the country - and somehow never thought of this then. People from Delhi, Jaipur and Raipur - could easily get away with a 'kasa kay' or a 'bhidu' - which is ok. Also, Mumbai as a city is very cosmopolitan. It does not belong to anyone or any particular language is not spoken there. It is also very tolerant. Oh my, before I get emotional over the city - what I am trying to say is that the profession of a Radio Presenter needs to be given more respect and due credit.

As of today, we are happy yapping about anything from silly Bollywood gossip (I wanted to give an example but thankfully I am totally out of touch and have no clue whats going on in that world) to stupid contests with even stupid-er give-aways. I was frankly not ready to do the same thing again. When I began doing radio - this is not what it was about. It was about your spontaneity, language, love for music, love for the people, wit, humour and personality. YOUR personality - not something you make up for 4 hours of the day. It was about connecting with the people in your city. It was all about the company. It was about going ga-ga about the poha sold outside Vikhroli station, the sea breeze at Bandra Bandstand (and the couples enjoying it).

But then, if I only have to talk about Ranbir's next movie and Preity Zinta's third dimple - I think I can do it anywhere in the world. I really don't need to belong to the city. But my question is - if you don't belong anywhere, how would you make the listeners get a sense of belonging?

As for, can a jock be from another city.. I haven't made up my mind about it. I have given myself 2 years to know the place and the people before I even think about going on-air in Bangalore. Wasted my time? May be. Worth the wait? Will only know if someone offers me the mike again ;)  Getting to know the city - Priceless.

Baby When You're Gone..

'The TV is on coz the radio is playing songs that remind me of you.. Baby when you're gone, I realise I am in love'.
-Bryan Adams song that I want to dedicate to my mike.

I've always spoken about my jobs in radio as love affairs. When I started off with WIN 94.6 - it was my first crush, the Red FM job after that was just a short fling, then Dubai happened, which was clearly a mistake (but has its sweet memories to last), followed by Fever FM - which clearly was my one committed two-and-a-half year long relationship and hurt like crazy to break up with it. (could actually feel my heart break inside of me when I hit 'send' on my resignation letter) ... but it was time I stopped allowing it to take me for granted.. if you know what I mean. Took me half a year to get over that. In fact, I took a break from radio after that...like one purposely stays away from getting involved with anyone after a break-up. Big fm was a relationship that begun with the head making the choice, but the heart grew in, though I never let it take over me completely.

May be that's the reason I could walk away from my first love all over - to make way for a 'real' relationship this time. I even shifted cities. But I guess, this time round, the mike is testing me and may be even punishing me for leaving it (and my show on a high note) It's acting all elusive. But I too have to make up my mind as to what I want from this relationship now - I am still unsure.

So this song is just to let you know baby, that I am still in love. Do call me sometime. 

Bengaluru ki hawaein...

Listening to radio in Bangalore (the new town I belong to now) is interesting. You switch from Kannada music and talk to complete English and then some Hindi too.

Fever 104 is the latest station to change gears and move into the Hindi space now, after having tried a complete Kannada format. They started off in the city as a Hindi-English station and have changed formats quite a bit in the last few years of their existence. Radio One is the only station here that catered to the Hindi speaking audience here. Now they have competition. They are being hesitant to leave this space here, though in Mumbai and Delhi they have converted into a complete English channel now. (Back to where they began as Go 92.5) And are they sounding great or what! Many say it is their last attempt to shine before wrapping up because they had completely sunk as a Hindi channel in metro markets overall.

However, coming back to Fever @ Bangalore. They are also not sicking to one positioning in all markets now. In Delhi, Mumbai, Kol - they are "All About the Music" - but here, they are trying to own the Bollywood space with "Baap of Bollywood"! Oye fm mind you, is "Sabse Filmy" in other markets. They are not a part of the Bangalore circuit, so Fever has sneaked in this idea for the upcoming Hindi speaking audience here.

The clarity that they will stick to Bollywood and taking a stand with a positioning is great. I just wish they had been a little less noisy and less cliche. But then that's what BOllywood is all about, isn't it? Noise and cliches.

The music by the way is great at 104. That itself could make it for them. Provided the Amitabh and Shahrukh dialogues don't interfere too much.

Happy..listening to competition!

I know most of the people will think that I am happy listening to competition because may be they are doing things that are not that nice and in comparison I am feeling good about stuff I have been putting up.
But its something else, quite the opposite actually.

I just finished an overview of what the competition has been doing and was simply delighted. In terms of content, everyone is working on something different. Bringing the vibe of the city for your consumption in different ways. Someone is talking about how elder people should be familiarized with mobiles for their safety, someone is running into Sachin's house for a byte, someone is telling you how Ranbeer likes to show off that he shares his birthday with Lata Mangeshkar and bytes of her telling us why does not want to sing much now. There are richshaw-walas, bhikaris and prostitutes going on-air at the same time.

The only complain I that I have is from our Hindi Music Industry - please give us new and more importantly good music at regular intervals. Give it to me baby! aha..aha!

Ganapati, Navratri and now Diwali.. I hope the air-waves keep getting brighter for all of us.

One of the most interesting data I have come across in some time now.. is this chart telling us about the radio habits of people in different metros in India.
It is indeed an eye-opener for national planners.

The way, Bangalore seems to be consuming radio in the mornings and the way Kolkatta being the earliest riser of all is worth a thought. Not only that, Kolkatta also listens to radio a lot at night as well. Delhi and Mumbai are the lowest consumers overall which again is interesting.

Oh! I just so love radio :)

my LIVE medium

I've always said that I love radio the most because of its Live factor. Its as LIVE as live can get.
However, there are tools to use this extremely interactive medium. And lately, I have been feeling kind of jaded with how else can I explore and enjoy it.
So I was told today that Mallishka did something really exciting and I loved it - so much that I thought about blogging about it.
ChammakChhalo is the latest rage in the music circles these days - actually it was when it got 'leaked' - but now that its officially released - so Radio can go gaga about it only now. Ms. RJ went on-air and said I am playing it on my show today but if I get 100 msgs from my listeners (in some time span) - I will play it TWICE - back to back, first time ever on radio. and she DID!
To top it - she said I will play it once more in the next hour if I get a 100 more. and she DID!
That takes some guts and craziness to execute and what a way to feel the 'live' wire that radio is - and of course, what a way to tap into the vibe of the listeners' mind.

When did our working hours go up?

The last I remember, the typical Morning Show used to be a 7-11 am show.
Then Red started playing links from the previous day and calling them Best of Morning No.1 or something like that and you could listen to Mallishka from 6 to 11. In fact they included that time into the promo too.
Now Archana Jaani is also available with a Best Of version early in the morning.
Though this idea is highly debatable - who wants to listen to Shendi @ 6am and that kind of content early in the morning? But then Red is a 24/7 format station. They play Munni and Sheila @ 6 am - so lets just let them be.
Then Big began "Astro Hour" at 6 - followed by Radio One - exactly the same idea.
So now all promos shout out - Morning Show 6 to 11 am!

Do we really want the tune in time to be 6am? And has anyone realized its 5 hours?!?! God help Breakfast show hosts. Except Mallishka though - coz her show made us all wake up earlier, but now she does not appear on her show before 8 am! So I guess the joke's on us! :)