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Return of the radio
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And now make way for satellite radio, as Worldspace descends on the twin cities with its bouquet of music, news and views
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THE MYSTERY about the teaser, headphone-sporting-tripping-on-music youth screaming `radio is back', is out. Worldspace satellite radio arrives in town. Meaning, sitting alongside the idiot box will be its audio version — a bouquet of 35 channels — music, news and views. But wasn't the satellite radio already on-air in town before?
"That was the test phase. This is a full-fledged market. Now we are going across India. All this while we were putting the customer support in place. More Indian content has gone in. We are very clear in terms of the model now," says Sanjay Ramakrishnan, director consumer audio business for India operations, Worldspace, launching the radio in twin cities, as part of the nine cities promotion tour.
So, the current model is subscription based. One needs to pay Rs. 1200 annually. Plus the cost of the receiver, Rs. 4,999 onwards.
Unlike the FM and AM (medium and short wave) terrestrial radio stations that work on air waves, programmes on satellite radio are up linked to satellites, AfriStar and AsiaStar here, thus the receiver. Further, it doesn't work on the normal radio transistors or 2-in-ones.
The steep installation figures seem trivial if you are an avid music buff, that is. Imagine listening to classic rock, country, club, alternative and well, some world music if you are the one who believes in music sans borders, on a 24X7 basis.
This apart, Worldspace radio has Hindustani music, Hindi retro and Bollywood hits beaming channels Gandharv, Farishta and Jhankar respectively riding on the satellite. Not forgetting regional channels, including Spandana— a 24-hour Telugu music channel hosted by popular RJ Chaitanya, plus Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali stations. CNN, BBC World Service, NDTV 24X7 and WRN for news and Sai Global Harmony, the spiritual broadcast, wrap up the audio fare.
"Every channel has a programme director and radio jockeys, like any other radio station. The USP is no commercials -- thus uninterrupted music. The RJs come in with trivia, educating the listener on the music," says Ramakrishnan.
Receivers are available at Digital Shoppy, Sony Electronics, TMC, Faber Panorama, Giant Hypermarket, Tanmayee Home Appliances and other leading consumer durable outlets in the twin cities.
Plans ahead (in 2-3 weeks) include a Worldspace lounge at Prasad's IMAX that would serve as a selling point for the Worldspace services. It would also have listening posts to experience the relay and buy the handsets the same, and serve as a venue for Worldspace live events such as album promotions, interaction with artistes and jazz workshop, says Ramakrishnan.
And more channels, including one on sports (working on it).
Will the satellite radio have takers in times of television and FM radio? "Globally if you see, the current rate of satellite radio subscribers is increasing. Even in the US that is cluttered with FM station, XM and Sirius satellite radios are doing exceedingly well. This is music, and affordable," he sums up.
For further information on the music from the sky, log in to www.worldspaceasia.com.
Time to do away with tear jerking soaps cum rebirth sagas and mostly Hindi beaming music channels on the tube. Hopefully.
SYEDA FARIDA
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