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[HCDX] India: Radio industry in 2007 - an overview



Over the past two years the radio industry has moved
beyond AIR with private FM stations lapping up the
airwaves. The three policy initiatives from the
Government -- migration to a revenue-sharing regime,
allowing foreign direct investment upto 20 per cent
and opening up the sector to 91 more cities by issuing
338 licenses' to private players -- have aided this
growth tremendously. FM Phase II saw as many as 245
more stations bagging licenses', most of which went up
this year. Phase II has provided a fresh lease of life
to the radio industry and has really taken the medium
to the next level. Things only look better from here,
given the way this has helped new stations to come in,
the existing and serious players to organise more and
convert radio into a revenue making option.

Year 2007 for the radio industry was the year of
expansion. The radio industry is growing immensely and
also doing very well, the number of people listening
to radio each day has also increased, hence
acknowledging this as the local medium of
communication. The recent RAM results that were out
recently proved how well the industry is doing. Spends
on radio have definitely gone up and radio today, is
the most cost-effective medium. Radio is becoming an
important part of the advertisers advertising mix. The
future will see more advertisers coming on board?

RAM (radio audience measurement)
Radio listenership measurement is a critical aspect to
the industry, the emphasis being on 'timely'
measurement and not just dated results that come in
over three to six months. The radio category needs to
grow to where it deserves and with the RAM coming in,
it is a move in the right direction. What is measured
is what is bought and RAM has worked extremely well
for the radio industry.

BIG 92.7 FM in 2007
The year 2007 has been excellent for BIG 92.7 FM; the
stations for phase II were rolled out, as we stand as
a 42 station strong network today, spread across the
length and the breadth of the country. The fastest
rollout of stations among all players and making us
the biggest radio network in the country. As per
figures released BIG 92.7 FM is the No. 1 choice of
listeners in Bangalore across all parameters -
including reach, share and TARP. In Mumbai, it is the
highest reached station, while in Delhi; it is the No.
2 station among 12-34 year old, SEC ABC listeners. BIG
92.7 FM will see expansion of our network in 2008;
more stations will be added to our network as Govt.
opens up more licenses.

The numbers are looking very good especially given
that BIG 92.7 FM is just about a year old. It
reaffirms our positioning and content strategy which
has helped the brand stand out in the cluttered
environment. With competition heating up among brands,
'differentiation' is the key and we have managed to
stand out with our 'listener focused' positioning of
Life Banao as well as our distinct music. 

Next on BIG's radar - 
" The goal is to increase the size of radio's share of
the advertising pie from 3 per centto 7 per cent over
the next three years. 
" Consolidate post our launches and ensure sustained
leadership in all our stations
" Digital integration with radio - more emphasis on
our web portal, podcasting, internet driven
interactivity etc 

Key landmarks / events: 
Year 2007 has been an eventful year for BIG 92.7 FM,
and has certainly lived upto to its brand line of
'Suno Sunao, Life Banao'. 

A combination of large national properties and
hyperlocal content helped us grow rapidly in a sort
span of time. BIG 92.7 FM has always believed in
innovation in content and marketing. We launched a
unique challenge & contest done for the first time
ever on radio in association with Hyundai i10 called
'Chipak Ke Jeeto' which is the biggest endurance test
to be held across key metros wherein the person who
touches the car for the longest time walks away with a
brand new Hyundai i10 car! The 'Sabse BIG Diwali'
campaign with ICICI bank credit cards was launched
with much fanfare- offered discounts from 9.27 per
cent to 92.7 per cent on various products. Tied up
various NGOs' across the country and hosted the 'Sabse
BIG Diwali' party with the senior citizens. 

The year 2007 also saw BIG 92.7 FM radio partnering
for some of the biggest banner movies and TV shows
like Ta Ra Rum Pum, Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom, Cash,
Saawariya, Nach Baliye 3, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Jhoom India,
while also entering into a strategic partnership with
the Indian Television academy for the 'ITA 7th Annual
Indian Television Academy Awards'. BIG 92.7 FM also
roped in the iconic Raju Shrivastav and escalated the
humor quotient of the station - BIG RJ Raju Shrivastav
provided listeners their daily dose of Raju Shrivastav
jokes every morning on the breakfast show across the
country. 

We pioneered the coverage of sporting events on radio
with the award winning coverage of the PHL, ICC
tournament and the T-20 World Cup. For the first time
ever, BIG FM brought on radio, eminent personalities
like Harsha Bhogle and Shekhar Suman, Kris Srikkanth
and Mandira Bedi, which created a new and exciting
experience for listeners across the country. 

Speculations for the year 2008 
The Indian radio sector is poised to become a Rs
1,200-crore industry by 2010, according to a study
conducted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce & Industry and PricewaterhouseCoopers. 

With the majority of licenses in Phase II going
operational by the end of this year, 2008 is going to
be a very good year for Radio; the industry will
experience dramatic expansion in its listener base
leading to significant growth in business. 2008 will
be the Tipping Point for the radio industry. 

We hope that news and current affairs will be opened
for private radio broadcasters. In the event this does
happen, this will lead to a new wave of growth for
radio in 2008. 

For BIG 92.7 FM, listeners are going to be witnessing
far more exciting and interesting radio activity. Our
initiatives will focus on creating more relevant and
innovative content for our listeners, tapping into new
trends and insights we observe among the youth. 

So stay tuned and Suno Sunao, Life Banao!
//////////////////
Source:
http://www.indiantelevision.com/ye2007/tarun_Katial_story.php
 


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