FM round up: South - A year of opportunities

2008 turned out to be a year of opportunities for FM operators south of the Vindhyas, as many players launched their stations during the year. 2009, say most, will be a year of consolidation.

An interesting aspect of the Bangalore market that the initial RAM listenership survey had mapped as a high morning listenership and high out of home listenership TG, was the conversion to Kannada. With the exception of a Radio Indigo, which stuck to its premise of international music, several players preferred to target masses by going the Kannada way.

A rollercoaster ride! - Gaurav Vaz

Looking back at things that have happened with the band over the past few months, I am just amazed! It's been one crazy rollercoaster ride that we have been on and all along I keep thinking, "This is the stuff dreams are made of! and it's happening .. for real!"

There was a lull for some time in the beginning of this year with the band doing a few shows here and there, until we got wind of the 'Roots Music Festival Tour' that was going to change our lives. We never really thought that it actually would.

Live music - juggling the highs and lows

With physical sales of the record industry registering a constant decline of almost 44 per cent each year from 2000 through 2007, the live music business gave new hope to organisers, artistes and listeners alike. With sponsors offering 360 degree deals to the artiste, this seemed to be the best option as the record music industry went through the slump. In 2008, the period till September was good, but in the following months, many concerts got postponed or cancelled. The 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai added to the trouble already created by global recession.

Kabhi Khushi, Kabhi Gloom - Rajesh Tahil

Figure this scene. It's a bit like an old Seinfeld episode. You go to a party; it's the end of the year or beginning of the new one (depending on when you are reading this). Someone asks �it's the end of another year – how do you think it was for radio?' The response is a bit like Kramer's, �it wasn't a bad year, pauses, but it wasn't a great one either'. FM radio stands at the intersection of reality and possibility and we attempt to understand how that unfolded in 2008.

Gulbarga NGO to launch CR station

MUMBAI: The Sharanbasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha will set up its community radio station in Gulbarga, Karnataka within an estimated three months' time.

With this, the number of CRS will increase to 39 in the country.

According to a government release, the ministry of information and broadcasting has signed a Grant of Permission Agreement for establishing, maintaining and operating a Community Radio Station (CRS) with the Sharanbasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha, a Gulbarga base NGO.

Radio Bundelkhand launched

NEW DELHI: For the first time, a non-governmental organization has launched a community radio station, thanks to the liberalized policy adopted by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

The channel, launched by the Society for Development Alternatives, was operationalised late last week at Taragram, Orchha, in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. The Society is a Delhi based NGO and is the first to establish, maintain and operate a Community Radio under the new policy.

First Caribbean community library radio launched

MUMBAI: The first Caribbean community library radio Infolight FM 108.0: The Power of the Information Literacy through Young Voices, was officially launched by Carl Bethel, Minister of Education of the Bahamas, on 16 October 2008, at the Bahamas Library Service. This project is implemented in partnership with UNESCO.

BSF to launch community radio in Imphal

IMPHAL: The country's Border Security Force will launch a community radio service in Manipur before the end of the current financial year.

BSF DIG, Sector Hqs CI (Ops), Gopal Krishna made the announcement at the hand over function of four computer sets to Advance Intermediate College, Moirang on Thursday, according to reports in the Sangai Express.

The requisite sanctions have been obtained as also a grant of Rs 2.5 million to start the CR service, the report adds.

"Ham Radio no longer just a hobby"

GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat Institute of Amateur Radio (GIAR) hosted HamfestIndia-2008, the annual gathering of radio amateurs from India on 11 and 12 October, at the sprawling Town Hall, Gandhinagar, capital of Gujarat.

Over 300 delegates from different parts of India, mostly from the western parts of the country, attended it.

Gujarat Assembly speaker Ashok Bhatt lighted the inaugural lamp for the Hamfest. During his brief speech, he emphasised that amateur radio ( or ham radio as it is popularly called) is no longer a hobby , and is a necessity now.

Sangham goes on air

MUMBAI: History was made today when Sangham Radio, India's first Rural Community Radio Station was inaugurated at Machnoor Village in Medak District by former Supreme Court Justice P B Sawant. This is also the first all woman community radio station in Asia.