Horror on FM

With an idea to differentiate itself in New Delhi, HT Media-owned Fever FM has launched a 20-episode horror show titled 'Kya Woh Sach Tha' at the 11 pm slot.

The launch episode was the story of a Mumbai-based boy, Anuj Joshi, who never believed in supernatural powers till he experienced an incident on the Mumbai-Pune highway. His car ran out of fuel in heavy rains on the lonely highway and he met an old man who offered him a lift to the nearest petrol station. Anuj later found out that the old man died four years ago and his spirit connected with Anuj to take forward a message to a loved one.

Kya Woh Sach Tha is produced in-house and will be simulcast across all four stations. Fever FM plans to syndicate the content once the show is over. The radio station is in talks with several sponsors for the show.

Print and digital media are being used to promote the series. Along with ads in Hindustan Times, the station has attempted to generate conversations on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FM104Fever) and Twitter.

Jain adds that during the night slots, Fever FM's listenership is in the range of 3.2-3.5 million. "At this time, every radio channel has its loyal listenership, which comes for a specific kind of content. The horror show will work because at this time, children are already asleep and mostly people above the age of 24 are listening. During nights, the theatre of the mind is open and people will be able to visualise what we deliver."

This will be the second fiction show by the radio station, after 'Friends in a Metro' launched in June. Fever has done many successful radio dramas like Ramayana, Gandhi, Bal Gopal and Bose, which were inspired by mythology and history. They were syndicated on mobile VAS, iOS and audio CD by Saregama. All India Radio has also hosted radio dramas such as Hawa Mahal, which were based on short stories and had a dramatic representation. They were more of story-telling sessions with little or no music.