MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), which had last week announced its foray into the radio industry with the 'acquisition' of UAE's Hum FM radio station, has clarified that it is just a lease of the first Hindi/Urdu radio station of the Emirates.

In a notice issued the BSE over the weekend, ZEEL states that it has set up a step-down subsidiary in Dubai to be in the FM radio business in the name of Zee FM. And, under the agreement it has signed, the radio frequency owned by the emirate of Umm Al Quwain has been leased to the Zee subsidiary effective January 2017 for its radio business.

Umm Al Quwain Broadcasting Network (UBN) which operate Hum 106.2 used the frequency to serve Hindi and Urdu programming to listeners. It redefined drive time and boasted of many celebrity Radio Jockeys. It also went on to popularize live cricket commentary on radio and has a lot of pioneering firsts in the radio business.

Zee Entertainment was the first to launch a Bollywood TV channel, Zee Aflam in 2008 for the Arab audience as well introduce the Arab world to Hindi programs dubbed in Arabic with Zee Alwan in 2012.