Marathi radio: An airwave too far

While most radio stations would like to have a Marathi channel, laws and a lack of public enthusiasm are insurmountable obstacles


Mumbai, and also India, has never had it better, with the increasing number of private FM radio channels surfing the airwaves. But what’s noticeably absent is that in Mumbai, none of these channels cater to lovers of regional music.

Hindi and Bollywood hits dominate, with Marathi music virtually non-existent. But it’s not just radio channels that are to blame for the lack of local music, the onus also lies on the shoulders of the government.

Prashant Panday, the CEO of Radio Mirchi, acknowledges the need to cater to lovers of all forms of music, be it ghazals or folk, but the hindering factor, he says, are the existing laws. “The government does not allow a private company to own more than one FM channel in a city. That’s why we have to focus on a single genre.”

In such a scenario, companies who, at the end of the day, are interested in making a profit, prefer to cater to the masses, rather than focusing on niche markets. So, while in the US or Europe, one company could have a number of channels catering to a specific genre of music, such as country music, jazz, rock, et al, such a scenario is not yet possible in India.

Abraham Thomas, COO of Red FM, adds to Panday’s explanation: “Strategically, you have to focus on one target group and satiate them.” He believes that there are plenty of listeners always looking to hear super-hit music, at any time of the day.

According to Anand Chakravarthy, the senior VP, Marketing for Big FM, radio channels conduct extensive research on listeners’ likes and dislikes, and cater to their demands accordingly. “In the South Indian states, regional music is the most popular, so we play that type of music. In Mumbai, however, people like to listen to hit Hindi film music, so we have to give in to consumer demands.” Those looking for an alternative song selection are in a minority.

A similar populist brief is also followed by the city’s radio presenters. Radio channels ensure that the radio jockeying (RJing) is done in the language of the masses. The RJs speak many languages simultaneously - Hindi, English and Marathi — to cater to all types of listeners.

“The format of RJing differs from city to city,” says Chakravarthy. In every city, the RJs have to link with the listeners through three languages — Hindi, English and the local language. In Mumbai, the jocks use a lot of crossover terms in Marathi, Hindi, and English, and are well-versed in the local lingo.

While giving particular slots every day to regional music may seem like a good alternative on paper, most private FM players don’t want to take the risk. Panday feels that if there are such dedicated slots, people may not remember to tune in at that particular time. “We have a strict music policy of playing only the latest super-hit Bollywood music, and in order to remain consistent with our proposition to our listeners, we don’t make any exceptions to this rule,” says Thomas.

Starting a niche channel has always been on the cards, but until the government eases the laws, little can be done, say the city’s private channel owners. “If the government allows more than one frequency to private players, we will definitely think of starting a Marathi radio channel as we have always supported the revival of Marathi music,” says Panday. And this is a view shared by all channels.
a_vishakha@dnaindia.net