FM radio station launch boosts Sun TV Networks

Sun TV Networks launched its FM radio station at Kochi under the brand name ‘S FM', through its subsidiary Kal Radio. With this launch, which can be heard at 93.5 MHz, the network will have 38 stations across the country. The company will launch 7 more stations to complete 45 stations in India. The Sun TV stock witnessed a turnover of 73,414 shares vis-à-vis two-week average volumes of 33,625 shares and gained a little over 22 percent in the last one month.

Radio in Pune sounds good with RCS

Radio One has launched its sixth station in Pune. Radio City had joined the long established Radio Mirchi on the airwaves in Maharashtra's boom town with over 5 million listeners. All three commercial radio stations are relying on RCS for essential parts of their radio operation. Radio One launched with Master Control as studio system, fully integrated with Selector and Linker as content schedulers. Radio One also uses Airwaves Traffic from RCS as scheduling and billing solution for the commercials in its Pune setup. In addition, Airwaves handles contract administration, customer relations and complete reporting.

RAM to test phonometer by year-end

Radio Audience Measurement (RAM) is all set to test the phonometer system for measuring FM radio listenership on mobile. According to TAM Media Research (India) RAM is almost ready to roll out the phonometer. If the FM broadcasters agree, then the group will roll out the first test by November or December. Kolkata will come under RAM ambit by June-end. RAM currently covers listenership pattern only in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.

Times of India group buys UK's Virgin Radio

The Times of India group has unveiled its global ambitions, making its first acquisition outside the home market. TIML Golden Square has bought Virgin Radio Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries in the UK for 53.2 million pound (USD 105 million) from Scottish media company SMG Plc. With the deal, TIML will get the AM national license and the FM London license. TIML will manage the station along with Absolute Radio, the European group that already owns the music station Jack FM in Oxford. The acquisition comes without the Virgin brand which will go back to Richard Branson's Virgin Group. TIML will undertake a 15 million pound re-branding exercise.

The value of Virgin Radio has fallen since SMG paid Chris Evans' Ginger Media Group 225 million pounds in 2000 for the radio business and a TV production company. SMG will focus on its television businesses, which include STV in Scotland and Ginger Productions. Bennett Coleman's media assets include The Times of India, the world's largest-circulation English broadsheet daily newspaper, and channels Times Now and Zoom. It also runs a radio business under the Radio Mirchi brand.

DD, AIR news can now be broadcast on satellite radio

The news and current affairs as reported by AIR and DD can now be broadcast on satellite radio. The decision is part of the draft policy readied by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The decision to restrict the dissemination of news to only the version aired by the state broadcasters shows government's anxiety to play safe while relaxing its monopoly over radio news and current affairs.