MUMBAI: Even though the local and regional FM stations claim to cater to the needs of the local listeners, the FM market of Kolkata do not sing a happy song for them.

The latest findings of wave 4 of the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) commissioned Indian Listenership Track (ILT) reveal that it is the national players like Radio Mirchi, Red FM and Big FM that steal the show with the regional FM stations Power FM, Aamar FM and Friends FM following far behind.The MRUC listenership data takes into account the age group above 12 years. The field work was conducted between 5 May and 23 July, 2007.The research firm uses the day-after-recall (DAR) method.

Leading the show in Kolkata is Radio Mirchi which has a total listnership of 2.23 million with a maximum growth of 5.8 percent quarter-on-quarter. Radio Mirchi constitutes 52.4 percent of the total market share of Kolkata FM market.

Radio Mirchi Kolkata station head Sriram Kilambi said, "The credit of our success lies in great team work between the programming and the sales and marketing teams, combined with an in-depth understanding of the city, its people, the culture; all packaged beautifully and presented through our RJs." Big FM with a total market share of 27.9 per cent stands second in the Wave 4. During the period, Big FM has a decline of 1.9 per cent, total listenership being 1.19 million.

Red FM on the other hand could not gain any position from the last wave and stand third in the wave 4.

The total listenership of Red FM in Kolkata amounts to 0.68 million (Wave 4) registering a slip of 1.8 percent from Wave 3. Red FM constitutes 16.2 per cent of the total market share.

Red FM`s special campaign `Red FM Superheroes` launched during the period even could not help the station gain considerable amount of listnership. `Red FM Superheroes` was an attempt to identify the practioners of social evil.

Red FM COO Abraham Thomas was unavailable for comment. However the local stations constitute only a meager share of the market with listenership dipping down. Power FM and Aamar FM has 6 per cent and 8.9 per cent respectively of the total market share. Power FM has 0.27 million listenership, while Aamar FM has 0.38 million listenership. Aamar FM has registered a growth of 1.9 per cent quarter-on-quarter.

The new entrant Friends FM has opened its account in wave 4 with a 0.23 million listeners. It consititues 5.2 per cent of the total market share.

In the regional sector, even though the local stations claim woo the listeners better with customise and special packaged local content as they say they understand the listeners well, ILT report( wave 4) clears the cloud that it is the national players who know the right tune.