Even as the government approval on allowing news and current affairs content on FM radio is awaited by the end of the year, the medium has proven to be sensitive to the events unfolding around it and has played ?the friend in need? more than a few times.
Some of the commendable initiatives in the later part of this year include Fever104 Mumbai Monsoon Help Line? to ease the woes of Mumbaikars resulting from water-logging, power cuts, traffic snarls, accidents, diseases.
?Apart from running a daily ?Monsoon Update? providing the latest information on traffic-jams, accidents, diversions, suitable routes, amount of rainfall, flooding or water logging situations, high tides, flight and train delays, power cuts, Mumbai residents could call on a phone number and record their grievances. These were then forwarded to concerned authorities in government or otherwise such as Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Traffic Police, Power companies,? said Gowri Kapre, national head, marketing and promotions, Fever FM. Fever104 radio jockeys are following up the issues with concerned authorities.
Similarly, the radio jockeys of Big 92.7 FM on the day of the Delhi blast helped people avoid bad traffic situations and averted rumours by giving accurate updates and organized a candle peace march to salute the spirit of Delhi. ?Big FM organizes regular awareness activities on issues that includes AIDS, environmental issues and female foeticide. We also organize ?Raahat Abhiyaan? annually? a campaign to collect warm clothes, blankets and distribute the same to the needy. Since, radio caters to the local populace; Big FM organises city specific social activities, like ?Save Lake-Save Udaipur? campaign,? said Manisha Tripathi of BIG 92.7 FM.
Radio Mirchi has announced an initiative ?Listen to my movie? under which it has tied up with Mirchi Movies to release an audio film ?Hari Puttar, a comedy of terrors?, for blind children on the occasion of Children?s Day. The movie will see parallel audio track release and the audio film will travel across the country with Radio Mirchi?s CSR team for special ?ampings?. ?Mirchi has also packaged audio material for blind students of classes I to V, for the Blind Relief Association, New Delhi. Nursery Rhymes and English Conversation will be packaged in true Mirchi spirit for the children, apart from preparing weekly audio news reel for National Association of Blind and audio books for blind school libraries,? said Riya Mukherjee, vice-president, Radio Mirchi.
Radio City 91.1FM recently collaborated with the Delhi government and NGOs to launch ?Celebrating Changing Delhi? which revolved around the four pillars instrumental in changing the face of Delhi today?Infrastructure, Entertainment, Youth and Lifestyle. The initiative entailed involving citizens and getting their feedback on the changes in the city, on flyovers, metro stations, commuter-friendly Green and Red buses, cabs, underpasses, malls among others.
Radio has been able to play the good samaritan more effectively partly because it addresses the local community whose immediate common problems can be easily defined unlike television which addresses a much more heterogeneous group generally with diverse problems, points out an analyst.