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/
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