Kaushik Ghosh, Senior Vice President - Marketing, Radio Mirchi, joined Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL), which owns Radio Mirchi, in the year 2000. He later handled regulatory affairs for the company and also its initial forays overseas. Before coming on board ENIL, Ghosh has worked for Asian Paints and HCl Frontline. Speaking to agencyfaqs!, he talks about the growing influence on entertainment on radio, and Radio Mirchi in particular.
Q. Radio has come to move increasingly from music to entertainment. Why do you think this shift has happened?
A Radio has always been for entertainment, i.e. music based entertainment. It is therefore not true that radio has moved away from music. Music is what brings listeners to radio. If we can embellish music by interesting things (mostly around music) like film music premieres, then it helps build stickiness in listenership.
Q. Do you think entertainment will remain the backbone of the new radio industry? What programming trends do you predict?
A. Entertainment will always be the backbone of radio. Music will drive the entertainment and not talk. Radio markets will be segmented very well, with clusters of radio stations catering to different audience segments; segmentation will start happening by old or new music to start with. Special programming activities will be tried out by all radio stations to create buzz. As penetration of mobile entertainment devices (like FM enabled mobile phones) increase, a significant listenership chunk will be out of home – thus radio stations may need to cater to this segment – like giving more information on the go.
Q. Radio Mirchi has been partnering with a number of Bollywood movies. How did this come about? Was the first move made by Radio Mirchi or the film producers?
A. We don’t remember whether it was a producer or it was us who initiated it. But the idea was with us early on in 2001. Music comes largely from films; films need publicity; radio gives music play outs; so here was a great way of getting the films and radio together. We promote the film in return for exclusive music, music premiere on radio and exclusive stars on our channel. This is great content for listeners; and it helps us sustain our position as "Aapka apna Bollywood station".
Q. How did Radio Mirchi come with the idea for a radio film, and for the Mirchi hain Baraati event? What image of Radio Mirchi are you trying to portray through such events?
A.The idea of a radio film was developed by the programming team. They wanted a fun way to put forward a discussion on air on a topic that was occupying Delhi’s attention at that time. The radio film was a superb innovation – in fact when people heard about it they were really excited. Mirchi Hain Baraati was another idea that helped connect Mirchi with the city – on Dec 13th there were more than 10,000 weddings in Delhi – and we wanted to make the wedding of the couple on Radio Mirchi the most talked about one.
These initiatives help sustain the image that Mirchi has – that of a leader and innovator and a fun channel.
Q. Radio stations are moving on-ground in a big way. Red FM recently launched its Activation division. Does Radio Mirchi have similar plans?
A.It is really surprising how much noise is being made about an idea that we converted to a business unit two years ago! We pioneered the concept of NTR (non-traditional revenue) in radio and converted it into a full fledged business unit called Mirchi Activations. Activations is growing very fast. Activations helps Radio Mirchi not only in terms of revenues but also in terms of on ground presence, visibility and an opportunity to be at a consumer touch point. Activations have truly demonstrated the power of radio in driving response or footfalls.
Q. Celebrities are coming to play a bigger role in radio stations. Do you think this could undermine the role of regular RJs? Will it raise the expectations of listeners unusually high?
A. Celebrities on our stations never take on the mantle of an RJ. A celebrity on our station is interesting content to listeners; but it is the RJ who ensures the interaction with the celeb becomes interesting.
Q. Radio has come to move increasingly from music to entertainment. Why do you think this shift has happened?
A Radio has always been for entertainment, i.e. music based entertainment. It is therefore not true that radio has moved away from music. Music is what brings listeners to radio. If we can embellish music by interesting things (mostly around music) like film music premieres, then it helps build stickiness in listenership.
Q. Do you think entertainment will remain the backbone of the new radio industry? What programming trends do you predict?
A. Entertainment will always be the backbone of radio. Music will drive the entertainment and not talk. Radio markets will be segmented very well, with clusters of radio stations catering to different audience segments; segmentation will start happening by old or new music to start with. Special programming activities will be tried out by all radio stations to create buzz. As penetration of mobile entertainment devices (like FM enabled mobile phones) increase, a significant listenership chunk will be out of home – thus radio stations may need to cater to this segment – like giving more information on the go.
Q. Radio Mirchi has been partnering with a number of Bollywood movies. How did this come about? Was the first move made by Radio Mirchi or the film producers?
A. We don’t remember whether it was a producer or it was us who initiated it. But the idea was with us early on in 2001. Music comes largely from films; films need publicity; radio gives music play outs; so here was a great way of getting the films and radio together. We promote the film in return for exclusive music, music premiere on radio and exclusive stars on our channel. This is great content for listeners; and it helps us sustain our position as "Aapka apna Bollywood station".
Q. How did Radio Mirchi come with the idea for a radio film, and for the Mirchi hain Baraati event? What image of Radio Mirchi are you trying to portray through such events?
A.The idea of a radio film was developed by the programming team. They wanted a fun way to put forward a discussion on air on a topic that was occupying Delhi’s attention at that time. The radio film was a superb innovation – in fact when people heard about it they were really excited. Mirchi Hain Baraati was another idea that helped connect Mirchi with the city – on Dec 13th there were more than 10,000 weddings in Delhi – and we wanted to make the wedding of the couple on Radio Mirchi the most talked about one.
These initiatives help sustain the image that Mirchi has – that of a leader and innovator and a fun channel.
Q. Radio stations are moving on-ground in a big way. Red FM recently launched its Activation division. Does Radio Mirchi have similar plans?
A.It is really surprising how much noise is being made about an idea that we converted to a business unit two years ago! We pioneered the concept of NTR (non-traditional revenue) in radio and converted it into a full fledged business unit called Mirchi Activations. Activations is growing very fast. Activations helps Radio Mirchi not only in terms of revenues but also in terms of on ground presence, visibility and an opportunity to be at a consumer touch point. Activations have truly demonstrated the power of radio in driving response or footfalls.
Q. Celebrities are coming to play a bigger role in radio stations. Do you think this could undermine the role of regular RJs? Will it raise the expectations of listeners unusually high?
A. Celebrities on our stations never take on the mantle of an RJ. A celebrity on our station is interesting content to listeners; but it is the RJ who ensures the interaction with the celeb becomes interesting.