Anil Ambani's ADLABS Radio to set up 45 FM stations

Chennai: ADLABS Radio, part of the $22-billion Reliance ADA group will launch 45 FM stations with a common frequency of 92.7. Christened as BIG FM, the company will launch the radio stations in phases. The first phase will cover Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. The company will later launch in Jammu, Srinagar, Aligarh and Bikaner.

According to Tarun Katial, COO, ADLABS Radio, the company is adopting a two-pronged strategy. "While metros are ideal for establishing brand recognition and recall, the other virgin markets are completely new and fresh for us to explore, giving us an opportunity to provide an entertainment medium to the listeners."

There will be a high amount of interactivity on the station and we will use it as a platform for consumers, taking on issues, which are word of mouth and bring listener emotions to the fore", he said.  "By early next year, we will be present across India from Srinagar to Trivandrum and Surat to Guwahati. We will be present in 1,000 towns and 50,000 villages across India  – reaching 200 million Indians."

The radio jockeys who would give BIG FM the voice and personality have been carefully chosen after a nationwide hunt. According to NRS reports, radio is the media with the highest and fastest paced growth prospects in the country today. The revised license fee structure – from a flat fee model to a revenue sharing one announced in 2005 has been an advantageous move for the Indian radio industry. The Reliance ADA group has geared up to tap the tremendous market share that is present.

With an investment of Rs 400 crore dedicated to transmission equipment, infrastructure and licensing, the proposed network for ADLABS Radio will be the largest ever. The overall manpower strength will stand at 1500 employees nationwide. The IP protocol technology being utilised for BIG FM has been sourced from US-based AXIA, making this station amongst the first to utilise such superior gear in Asia.