here are about 10 FM stations in Delhi and about the same number in Mumbai. Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai, too, have more than two to three private FM stations, besides the government-controlled All India Radio (AIR). With almost similar programming -all stations depend heavily on film music - differentiating themselves in the audience's attention and keeping themselves alive in the public mind is a herculean task, particularly because radio is a background medium and is likely to be less surfed or sampled, as compared to television.

Most radio stations have figured out that the easiest way to create a buzz is to get the audience involved. Be it a festival, or an opportunity to organise a health camp, a cleanliness drive, or a college function, the stations leave no opportunity to reach out to the audience.... more