FM, a stillborn child?
FM in Chennai is a stillborn child. I listen in at all hours and with unfailing regularity get morons on air. Unlike TV, FM can easily go niche. Here’s some things I rarely or never find on radio.
1. Name of movie, singers, composer
2. Talking about the background, popularity of songs
3. In the case of old songs, a little of history
4. Intelligent conversation
5. A theme that runs through the programme. Explanation of of theme through shows.
6. Good interviews. Some of them are done on special days. Recently I liked one with Vairamuthu. So why not one everyday? It doesn’t really have to be a celebrity.
7. Go easy on the contests. I can’t listen to radio if I don’t have a cell. Every programme wants you to sms them or play a game with the host. Get back to the roots. Base it on music. Isn’t that the best bet?
8. Produce the damn show. Just don’t let it run.
9. For Christ’s sake don’t have so many ads, almost all of them produced like junk.
10. We do have great playback music. Mine it. Have archives. A lot of stations don’t have any.
11. It is even worse when it comes to Rainbow. Here’s a channel which is loaded with infrastructure, but has been killed by the bureaucracy.
When FM is in such unreliable, populist (in their minds) hands, is it even a good idea to bring news to FM?
FM radio is meant mostly for the 30 minutes a day or so spent on travelling.
And the FM stations are doing a good job of providing entertainment in this time. A stark contrast to the failed AIR which ruled the airs in the previous generation.
Of course there are too many ads, but is there a way around it?
One exception that comes to my mind is the 9pm onwards show in Suryan FM, especially the Iniya Iravu and other. No ads, trivia about the songs and needless to say, amazing music. Of course, it is sad that such wonderful programs are broadcasted when the whole city is asleep !
K.Shyam
Internet radio and WorldSpace when I’m at home.(That’s the only time I get to listen to anything good at all.) FM in this city is mostly crap. I’d rather burn a CD and listen to it, than listen to mindless chatter.
Hey you also missed on one point "voice of the jockey". The voices in rainbow is pathetic. They sound like depressed , frustrated guys on earth. the voice should be cheerful.
Having so many radio lines in chennai, if you lament on blog, i cant imagine how you would feel if you go to other cities in tamil nadu (trichy,tanjore etc).