MUMBAI: FM radio broadcasters in smaller towns had to face repercussions of BBC's content syndication tie up with Reliance Media World's Big FM.

After Big FM inked deal with BBC World Service to provide entertainment updates for 32 of its FM radio stations, the later severed ties with its partners- Gwalior based Radio Chaska and Orrisa based Radio Choklate. The key reason, cite players, is presence of Big FM in these markets   

Radio Choklate director Monica Nayyar Patnaik confirms, Our deal with BBC ended last December when they entered in a partnership with Big FM. It doesn't make sense for two radio broadcasters in the region to play the same content and they preferred a national player to a regional one....

Clarifying BBC's stand that contracts with commercial FM players are time bound, BBC World Service India Business Development Manager Indu Shekhar Sinha adds, Our association with radio stations work on contracts and is driven by reach. We enter into contracts for a certain number of months and move on to fresh partners once it terminates. It is impractical to have contracts with two players in the same city, so we entered into fresh contract with Reliance Media World's Big FM....

After playing BBC World Service content for two years, Radio Chaska plans to enter into contract with The BBC World Service Trust next month to play their content. Says Radio Chaska executive director Tarun Goyal, We would be airing their radio drama - Life Gulmohar Style and also Top Euro Hits comprising top international chartbusters....

Industry observers believe that it makes business sense for BBC to partner a national FM broadcaster with pan India presence rather than joining hands with regional players with fewer frequencies  

BBC World Service's content syndication partnership with other players- Radio Misty in Siliguri, Radio Rangila in Raipur, Radio Tadka in Jaipur and Udaipur, Tomato FM in Kolhapur and Hello FM continues.

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