Sunday, June 26, 2005

SW Radio Africa saved from closure

By Staff Reporter
Last updated: 06/25/2005 21:13:04

SW RADIO Africa which has been teetering on the brink of collapse is nowsafe, it was confirmed on Friday."SW Radio Africa is very pleased to announce that we have been saved fromclosure," the station's manager Gerry Jackson said in a brief statement."We will therefore be able to continue broadcasting on Medium Wave 1197kHzfrom 5 - 7am every morning. This signal is clearly heard throughout SouthAfrica and over most of Zimbabwe. We regret that due to the relentlessjamming of our Shortwave signal by the government we are unable to providethis service at the moment."Jackson did not say where the money had come from, but indications were thatthe station was now safe for another year.The award winning radio station needs close to £100 000 every month toremain in operation, according to insiders.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/fm14.12786.html

New policy awaited to boost FM

ASHISH SINHA
Posted online: Saturday, June 25, 2005 at 0059 hours IST

NEW DELHI, JUNE 24: What would be the way forward for private FM radio inIndia? The question has been bothering the industry for a while as it seesits revenues dip with no solution in sight.Pending cabinet's apporval are Trai's recommendations on the implementationof Phase-II of FM in India, as envisaged in the Tenth plan, which talksabout expanding the FM umbrella cover to 60% population of India."A lot of the success of Phase-II will depend on the policy measures. A goodpolicy will almost certainly give a boost to the industry. A bad policy onthe other hand may lead to a repeat of history of radio may never attain itsopportunity," cautioned Prashant Panday, COO, Radio Mirchi.Trai, while consenting with the findings of Dr Amit Mitra committee on RadioBroadcasting, has recommended that the existing license fee structure wouldbe changed to one with a one time entry fee and a revenue share of 4% ofgross revenue.Inclusion of news and current affairs as content on private FM, was anotherdemand of the industry.Trai in its report has said: "...Coverage of news and current affairs shouldbe reviewed. These restrictions should be lifted once the securityimplications of this step are adequately addressed..." "News will increasethe scope and reach of FM by several folds. We will get listnership by'appointment', which would bring in more advertisers too," senior Radioprofessional said.Currently, the radio ad-spots are sold in the range of Rs 500 to Rs 1,500per 10 seconds and there aren't too many takers for the medium. Concurs CVLSrinivas, managing director - MAXUS, India & Asia Pacific. "Not too manyadvertisers have utilised the power of radio as a medium but you can't blamethem.
"http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=94753

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

World's largest school launches FM Radio

Monday, 20 June , 2005, 09:52
Lucknow: The world's largest school as recognised by the Guinness Book hasmade its foray into the media world with the launch of an EducationalFrequency Modulation (FM) Radio Channel. Lucknow-based City Montessori School (CMS) would become the firstintermediate level institution in the country to run an educational FMRadio.Union HRD minister Arjun Singh will inaugurate the Channel on July 1 next ata ceremony here.CMS is the biggest school in a single city anywhere in the world having over29,000 students on its rolls.Addressing a news conference yesterday, CMS Founder-Manager Jagdish Gandhisaid the 90.4 MHz FM Radio would air five hours programme daily in twoshifts from 0700 to 0930 hrs and from 1900 to 2130 hrs.The Channel has materialised with the active support and cooperation of the All India Radio (AIR). ''The Channel aims at establishing a strong link between the students,teachers and parents as well as act as a friendly channel for today'syouth,'' said Gandhi.The FM Radio will also host phone-in programmes featuring guest lectures,career counselling, subject tutorials, interview with child psychologists,teaching sessions, besides quizzes based on general and subject knowledge.''It will encourage students to produce their programmes and act as anchorson the Radio shows,'' he added.United Nations General Assembly has invited Gandhi, also a social activist,to participate and provide inputs from NGOs in the hearings to reform theworld body.http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=13876534

Saturday, June 04, 2005

AIR aims at new image

OUR CORRESPONDENT
Kohima, June 2: They have not been paid fully for the India Shining campaignyet, but it has not stopped All India Radio from thinking of a shiningmakeover of its market image.Market image was the focus of today's inaugural session of the AIR'sthree-day conference of heads of commercial broadcasting services from allover the country.In what was seen as a strong message from director general Brijeshwar Singh,AIR will try to launch itself as more market-savvy, ostensiblyreinterpreting its guiding principle of "Bahujan Hitay Bahujan Sukhaya".The questions are few, they said, commanding many small ideas rather thanone big idea for all the problems.AIR's failure has also been attributed to giants like Airtel or Hyundai,giving short shrift to the mass medium.On the other hand, the participants laughed over customers who "did not needeffort" to get to advertise.However, there are some private players who don't have the right image ofAIR in order to advertise."Indian Airlines told us who listens to All India Radio," explained amarketing officer.There were others, too, who have inspired AIR for a rethink on its brandimage. Airtel, Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Pepsi and even the Railways are saidto have said a "no" to advertising on AIR.Some of the stations have done well by customising programmes and so, doingwell in revenue collection also.Bangalore and Chandigarh did well while Chennai was termed "conservative".But the worst was Calcutta, which is said to have a "negative image".The airwave giant might have posted a revenue of Rs 158 crore last year, butis eyeing Rs 200 crore. It is only two years ago that AIR touched Rs 100crore and the potential is big-time, it has realised. The mindset of havingfewer marketing agencies as the interface is seen as a hurdle to profit.Singh said with less than 1,000 people into marketing, a target of Rs 200crore was not possible. There was need to have better interface, it waspointed out. Next came making better commercial programmes withoutcompromising public service broadcasts and gearing up the team to the marketenvironment."There is no reason but inertia that we cannot be more efficient," Singhsaid. He said there was need for more "products" besides market knowledgeand audience research. More ideas will be churned out during the conferenceand in the valedictory function to be addressed by Prasar Bharati chiefexecutive officer on June 4. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050603/asp/northeast/
story_4820290.asp

SW Radio Africa Switches Frequency

Media Institute of Southern Africa (Windhoek)
PRESS RELEASE June 2, 2005
Posted to the web June 2, 2005
On May 31 2005, SW Radio Africa which broadcasts from London, beamed itslast shortwave evening broadcast saying this was due to repeated jamming ofits transmission signal by the Zimbabwean government."The jamming of our transmission signal by the Zimbabwe government hasrequired that we broadcast on multiple frequencies," SW Radio Africa said ina statement."This has been very successful and our listeners have been able to clearlyreceive us. But it is financially unsustainable, adding a huge amount to ournormal running costs."The station which is manned by Zimbabweans exiled in the UK, is nowbroadcasting on medium wave for two hours in the morning (05h00 - 07h00local time) and 24 hours a day on its website, www.swradioafrica.com.The medium wave signal does not, however, cover the whole of Zimbabwe andmany of its listeners will not be able to tune into their broadcasts.SW Radio Africa, however, said it was doing everything possible to maintainits financial viability."Our medium wave signal is clearly received throughout the whole of SouthAfrica so we do know that the two to three million Zimbabwean exiles therewill be able to clearly receive our programming."A free media is the cornerstone of any democracy and we will do our verybest to ensure that we continue to provide a voice for Zimbabweans, as westruggle along this difficult road to freedom together," said the statement. http://allafrica.com/stories/200506020056.html

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Radaio Japan 70th anni special programs

Radio Japan has lined up some special programs on the ocassionof 70th anni of first international broadcast from Japan.First part of the series of programs were broadcasted today.
((((( Japan & the World 44 Minutes )))))
Mon.- Fri. 14:15 - 15:00(JST)(repeat) 19:15, 23:15, 2:15, 9:15, 10:15(JST)

Jun.1,Wed. - Jun.3,Fri.
* NHK WORLD 70th Special: Introducing Japan for 70 Years
The three-part series goes behind the scenes of NHK's internationalbroadcasting services, discovering the history and the thoughts of theprogram makers.
Jun.1,Wed. -
The Start of International Broadcasting -
Jun.2,Thu. -
Post-war International Broadcasting in the Age of Radio -Guest:Setsuro Kitayama (former NHK employee)
Jun.3,Fri. - The Advance into TV and Internet Broadcasting -Guest:Toshiyuki Sato,
(Director-General, International Planning& Broadcasting Department of NHK)
----------------
((((( Radio Japan Focus )))))

Jun.1,Wed. - Jun.3,Fri.* NHK WORLD 70th Special:Frontline of the Grobal Broadcasting (1)-(3)This 3-part special series commemorates the 70th anniversary of NHK'sinternational broadcasting on June 1st. Satellite broadcasts fromthe Middle East are in the spotlight; Western nations are employing newinformation strategies; an NGO has started international broadcasts inAfrica. What do international broadcasts tell us today? We present thefrontline.