Q. Why did you choose Bangalore for the launch? How is the listener in this city different from the others? How do you define your listener?
A. What triggered us about Bangalore is that it is a truly cosmopolitan city. The circumstantial evidence of the popularity of international music is the number of international bands performing here. Even in colleges, there is a demand for heavy metal and rock bands. Even the places where the young people visit are modelled on the kind of music they play. For example, Stix plays heavy metal music, Spinz plays lounge music and Purple Haze plays retro music. While in Mumbai there is a mix of Bollywood and Marathi music, in Delhi there is an overhaul of Bollywood and Punjabi music. In Chennai, a lot of Tamil music is played.

We target listeners who have grown up on international music. They may be in the age-group 15-30 years. They may be in college, working in call centres or IT companies. There may also be many non-resident Bangaloreans tuning in. This is our way of differentiating ourselves. We are not a niche channel, but rather a 'non-mass channel.'

Q. Radio Indigo is India's first International music station. What was the basis for choosing this identity? What is the concept behind your slogan, "the colour of music"?
A. The slogan plays up the similarity between music and colour. We have chosen the term 'Indigo' for our radio station from the seven colours of the rainbow. Indigo is a very Indian colour, as it was invented in the country, but is known all over the world.

Q. You say on your website that you disbelieve the research on radio. What is your take on programming? Is it based on instinct or experience?
A.There are research figures being bandies about by various radio stations. We think research is just humbug. Radio stations play up factors like slot of day or time to show that they are at the top. We don't play that game.We are starting off with mood-based programming. It will be slow at the start of the day, and we will build the tempo as the day progresses. On the weekends, Radio Indigo will play genre-specific music. We have a weekend kids' show called Saturday Recess. Similarly, we have a jazz show and a hard rock show. We also have syndicated programmes like The American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, of American Idol fame. The music will be young and youthful. But we will also have programmes for people aged above 35.

Q. We've already had one radio station changing its format from mixed to pure Bollywood, due to market pressures. How do you plan to carry it off? Do you think revenues will be able to justify the investment?
A. I think Bangalore is a unique market and cannot be compared to any other, and we know it well enough to make Radio Indigo a success. With regard to revenues, we have paid a license fee of Rs 9.25 crore over ten years, compared to Times of India which paid Rs 21 crore and Mid-Day which paid Rs 15 crore for the same license. So, I think the returns should work in our favour.

Q. What kind of advertisers are looking at?
A. We are offering advertisers an audience that is up-market, well-versed with global trends, ready to experiment and with a good amount of exposure to the international music scene. We have about five advertisers on-board. We are also adopting unconventional media selling techniques.

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