Latest addition to the growing number FM channels in Bangalore is Radio Big 92.7 FM. Launched on Friday, 06th October 2006, it has already arrived big with Kannada superstar Upendra being its brand ambassador. That takes the count of most listened FM channels in Bangalore to 7. Here is the brief overview of these channels.
Radio City 91 FM : This was the first private FM channel, started in 2001 in Bangalore. For the first 5 years it was the undisputed leader in FM space with large number of radio audience so much so that FM radio in Bangalore meant Radio City 91 FM. Programmes here are mostly in English with predominently Hindi and occasionally Kannada songs being played.
Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM : First FM channel to enter Bangalore after central govt's phase II expansion of FM channels. Started this year with Kanglish tag line 'sakkath hot maga' with similar tag lines in other cities as well such as Chennai and Hyderabad. Programmes are in Kannada rather Kanglish with mix of Hindi and Kannada songs being played. Channel is promoted by the well known media giant Times Group.
Radio One 94.3 FM : A Mid-Day group channel started this year with the tag line 'hit mele hit mele hit'. Programmes in Kanglish with a good mix of Hindi and Kannada songs being played.
Radio Indigo 91.9 FM : Launched about a month ago here in Bangalore, a Jupiter Capital venture, this is the channel dedicated to English songs rather international music with programmes RJ'ed in English.
Radio Big 92.7 FM : Started few days ago, already made its presence felt. It is a channel from the Adlabs group, which has already announced that it is going to launch in 45 Indian cities in the coming days. In Karnataka, Mangalore and Mysore are on its next venture. Programmes mostly in Kannada less in Kanglish with predominently Kannada songs and Hindi songs being played. Occasionally it airs Telugu and Tamil songs too.
AIR FM Rainbow 101.3 FM : Govt owned FM channel under the umbrella of All India Radio(AIR). Programmes in Kannada with mostly Kannada and Hindi songs being played. One thing that has not changed in the case of Govt FM channels compared to the AM version is the news updates. Frankly speaking no other private radio station provides you with news updates except occasional updates on cricket scores.
AIR Vividh Bharati 102.9 FM : One more AIR channel with programmes in Kannada as well as in Hindi and a mix of Kannada and Hindi songs being played. Similar on the lines of FM Rainbow it also airs regular news updates.
Apart from the FM channels listed above there are some more govt owned FM channels probably you have not heard of. They are on frequencies 100.1 FM and 107.6 FM. 101.1 FM is a AIR classical music channel known as 'Amrutha Varshini' and you have 'Gyan Vani' on 107.6 FM. Gyan Vani as the name suggests airs lectures, interviews dealing with education, health, science etc.
This is not the end of radio boom in Bangalore. There is still more with another 4 FM channels on their way to the silicon valley of India. Thanks to the phase II expansion of private FM channels by the central government, tier II cities too witnessing a radio boom. In Karnataka, Mangalore is going to get 4 private FM channels in the near future. These four channels are Kal Radio of Sun Group, Adlabs, ENIL of the Radio Mirchi group and Century Radio. Similarly you will have FM radio stations being set up in Mysore, Hubli, Gulbarga, Belgaum.
With these developments the listener now has a lot of radio stations to choose from. Can we call it a radio revolution in Bangalore? Sure.
Put on your thoughts on this topic by sending your comments.
Raveesh
Radio City 91 FM : This was the first private FM channel, started in 2001 in Bangalore. For the first 5 years it was the undisputed leader in FM space with large number of radio audience so much so that FM radio in Bangalore meant Radio City 91 FM. Programmes here are mostly in English with predominently Hindi and occasionally Kannada songs being played.
Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM : First FM channel to enter Bangalore after central govt's phase II expansion of FM channels. Started this year with Kanglish tag line 'sakkath hot maga' with similar tag lines in other cities as well such as Chennai and Hyderabad. Programmes are in Kannada rather Kanglish with mix of Hindi and Kannada songs being played. Channel is promoted by the well known media giant Times Group.
Radio One 94.3 FM : A Mid-Day group channel started this year with the tag line 'hit mele hit mele hit'. Programmes in Kanglish with a good mix of Hindi and Kannada songs being played.
Radio Indigo 91.9 FM : Launched about a month ago here in Bangalore, a Jupiter Capital venture, this is the channel dedicated to English songs rather international music with programmes RJ'ed in English.
Radio Big 92.7 FM : Started few days ago, already made its presence felt. It is a channel from the Adlabs group, which has already announced that it is going to launch in 45 Indian cities in the coming days. In Karnataka, Mangalore and Mysore are on its next venture. Programmes mostly in Kannada less in Kanglish with predominently Kannada songs and Hindi songs being played. Occasionally it airs Telugu and Tamil songs too.
AIR FM Rainbow 101.3 FM : Govt owned FM channel under the umbrella of All India Radio(AIR). Programmes in Kannada with mostly Kannada and Hindi songs being played. One thing that has not changed in the case of Govt FM channels compared to the AM version is the news updates. Frankly speaking no other private radio station provides you with news updates except occasional updates on cricket scores.
AIR Vividh Bharati 102.9 FM : One more AIR channel with programmes in Kannada as well as in Hindi and a mix of Kannada and Hindi songs being played. Similar on the lines of FM Rainbow it also airs regular news updates.
Apart from the FM channels listed above there are some more govt owned FM channels probably you have not heard of. They are on frequencies 100.1 FM and 107.6 FM. 101.1 FM is a AIR classical music channel known as 'Amrutha Varshini' and you have 'Gyan Vani' on 107.6 FM. Gyan Vani as the name suggests airs lectures, interviews dealing with education, health, science etc.
This is not the end of radio boom in Bangalore. There is still more with another 4 FM channels on their way to the silicon valley of India. Thanks to the phase II expansion of private FM channels by the central government, tier II cities too witnessing a radio boom. In Karnataka, Mangalore is going to get 4 private FM channels in the near future. These four channels are Kal Radio of Sun Group, Adlabs, ENIL of the Radio Mirchi group and Century Radio. Similarly you will have FM radio stations being set up in Mysore, Hubli, Gulbarga, Belgaum.
With these developments the listener now has a lot of radio stations to choose from. Can we call it a radio revolution in Bangalore? Sure.
Put on your thoughts on this topic by sending your comments.
Raveesh
Hi Raveesh
ReplyDeleteFM radio in Bangalore is increasing day by day. This blog gives a good over view of all channels in Bangalore(some channels i never heard it before and tuned after reading this blog).
Now there are plenty of private channels are coming up. So the government channels like rainbow and vividh bharati needs improve their quality of program’s so that they can survive in the city.
Hi. Nice post. FM radios are booming in Hyderabad, chennai and almost all cities...
ReplyDeleteYou could have mentioned worldspace radio as well (though its not an FM channel)
Nidhi
hi,
ReplyDeletevery interesting and informative one.
I am waiting desperately for radio guys to land up in mysore, sometimes i feel very jealous of you guys. I was watching some show in ndtv, they were discussing pros and cons of FM channels. It seems some of the FM channels are using lot of vulgarity as they have to attract listeners. This should not happen, as this is the only media which is affordable to all kinda people.
Nidhi: you cant include worldspace, as this is a paid radio. It is almost like cable TV, you have to pay to listen to thier channels.
FM radio is a good campanion for me when travelling 60km daily up and down between home and office. Without FM radio songs one will turn MAD in traffic jam. Also one need not worry about which track to listen.
ReplyDeleteThe traffic update given by some stations are also helpful while commuting in Bangalore.
@Nidhi
ReplyDeleteYa did not include world space since it is not a FM channel(when I said Radion Revolution it meant FM Radio revolution). Moreover it is a paid channel.
As Shande pointed out FM radio is a good travel companion in these days of traffic jam and far away offices.
good to heat that 92.7fm is launched in mysore,it should not be only for south karanataka,but it should be launched in some cities of north karanataka so as to reach number of radio listerns,hope it will bw launched soon.
ReplyDeletemysore and mangalore are tuning mith big92.7fm and radio mirchi 98.3fm.they are only for south karanataka?they should be launched in some cities of north karanataka also.i heared that these fm stations would be set up within this year end(2007)but when.it should be launched soon.
ReplyDeleteFM radio are only for south karanataka?.they should be set up in some cities of north karanataka also so as to reach number of radio listners.we are not intrested in listening akashwani and vividhabharati,because they are not playing good songs no more.we are waiting day by day for private fm radio channels,they should be launched within december of this year(2007),because i have seen in news that fm radio stations are going to be launched within december 2007.
ReplyDeletehi raveesh,private fm radio stations are launching in bangalore,mysore and mangalore.
ReplyDeletewhen they wil be launched in hubli,belguam,gulberga.these cities are also big cities and with good business areas.its too sad to hear that these cities do not have one atleast one private fm radio stations also.they should be launched soon within december2007.
fm radio is increasing day by day in bangalore,next to mysore n mangalore.y cant in hubli.y hubli-dharwad is neglected in the launch of private fm radio.
ReplyDeleteHi Kiran, Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteSecond phase of FM Radio Expansion has several tier II cities in its list. Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum, Gulbarga are included in that. But I dont know when the broadcasters who bidded for these cities start one there.
hi raveesh kumar,this is kiran here.Thank u very much for replying.but it was told that new fm radio will be launched in hubli-dharwad,belguam,gulbarga.but its may2008 now still not yet started.i have came to know that gulbarga has got licence for 2vacant radio stations,n i have seen in news paper also.HUBLI-DHARWAD which are the main cities of north karanataka have not got.y this type of partiality is going on.the radio stations which r tuning in our city are not playing good songs these days, request songs programme will be only for 30min in kannada n 1hour in hindi but we r fedup with the songs which they are playing.except karanataka maximum states like uttarpradesh,maharashtra,madhya pradesh,goa,gujarat etc,are having fm radio stations in more cities in each state,atleat SFM93.5 should be launched in hubli_dharwsd,belguam now,y these cities are not there in karanataka or wat ya these cities r not suitable for launch of new fm radio stations or wat.
ReplyDeleteHi Kiran,
ReplyDeleteIt is really sad to know that there is no sign of private FM stations in north Karnataka yet. FM Stations have become a necessity rather than a privelege in cities, so there is no reason why they are being delayed in some cities.
- Raveesh
hi Raveesh,
ReplyDeleteregarding the above post u mentioned "privated stations not airing news updates" well the reason for this is they are nt licensed/permitted to air news.the FM channels can air entertainmnt alone.news is exclusive only to govt FM channels unlike on television.the consequence is evident (the manipulated facts thats aired my private tv news channels...u nvr kno which ones to believe!!)
regarding FM cannels not spread uniformly across the state...
well, these private FM channels hve to invest a real big deal of license fare to the govt to air theis channels.hence, the owners wud invest at areas where they can anticipate good profit rather than invest and suffer due to losses...bcos the source of income to these fm stations will b advertismnts...
and so anonymus,kiran and apple...
jus hope tat the cities hve enuf income to generate adverisemnt s in the cities an u will hve FM stations....
Hi Sushwetha,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. Yes, there can be facts presented in such a manner to suit somebody's needs. But private FM stations not airing news updates will be thing of the past as TRAI is trying to get nod from Broadcasting Ministry to have private channels airing news updates. Check out my other post - http://www.raveeshkumar.com/2008/02/not-just-music-now-news-too.html
thanks for the info raveesh.....radio is one area of interest tat i like tracking.....et me kno more of similar posts....
ReplyDelete