MUMBAI: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), that provides content to a clutch of private FM stations in India, is launching two new radio programmes, BBC- Take One and BBC Fun n Games this week.
According to BBC's India Development Manager Vineeta Dwivedi, both shows are cast in the 'radio magazine' format, the first such in the country. Both shows will be made available to FM stations subscribing to its current content, according to the BBC.

BBC Fun and Games is a Saturday capsule of sports celebrity trivia from around the world. This spirited 15-minute sports magazine programme takes listeners into the glitz and glamour of the world of sport – everything from cricket to Formula 1. The programme mixes celebrity interviews, insights and forecasts with lively music to take a closer look at sportspeople's lives and brings them to audiences like never before. Produced in Hindi, it will also be available in Tamil for audiences in Chennai.

BBC Take One is broadcast every Thursday – which is when the industry previews film and delivers its box office reports. This programme gives an honest and informed opinion on the new films being released in the week, Bollywood and Hollywood. It also analyses the cinematic nuances with top film critics and the public, and intersperses "tinsel talk" - behind-the-scenes stories – with sound bites from actors and directors. All this is topped up with the choicest of film music.

Talking to BBC Take One, Aishwarya Rai spoke about her latest film work, "Jodha-Akbar": "What makes 'Jodha-Akbar' special is that it is the story of Jodha and Jallaluddin in their youth. There is no visual reference to them, and it was wonderful to discover these characters visually." Football superstar David Beckham reveals in the first edition of BBC Fun and Games on Saturday 12 January how his wife Victoria supports him "no matter what" and that she was his strength when he was unpopular after the 1998 World Cup when England lost to Argentina. One of the initial episodes will have actor Ajay Devgan and Vidya Balan talking about their latest flick Halla Bol.

Unlike BBC's one minute infotainment capsules, Take One will be a 15 minute long programme which will have celebrities and Bollywood talking on the show. It will also have reviews, critics and analyses of films, music and other aspects of entertainment.

"This is the first time that audiences would hear regular radio magazines. The quality of content in 'BBC Take One' and 'BBC Fun n Games' would definitely entertain the listeners immensely. Therefore, our plan is to continue to make new programmes for our partner radio stations and provide variety to the FM listeners. BBC programmes are already on air in about 10 cities in India and we are planning to launch in other cities as well," says Dwivedi.

The BBC's special output for India's FM market includes infotainment shows, BBC Ek Minute, and the Sunday chat show, Ek Mulaqat, available via partner stations - Radio One in Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai, Radio Choklate in Bhubanswar and Cuttack, Radio Tarang in Hissar and Radio Tomato in Kolhapur. Ek Mulaqat is hosted by BBC World Service India editor Sanjeev Srivastava.

Says Radio One CEO Vineet Singh Hukmani, "This is the first ever global sports magazine of this kind and the first ever credible film magazine on FM in India. It is designed especially for Radio One's what I call 'masstige' – mass and prestige – audiences. We are confident that the BBC will help us reach our target listener with a perfect dose of exclusive entertainment delivered with the highest credibility."

Radio Choklate director Monica Nayyar Patnaik says the station has received the content for the new shows, but the station will put them on air only after a couple of weeks, when the Rourkela station of Radio Choklate goes live.