Nine debuts as Sikkim's first private FM station

Sikkim has got its first private FM station, Nine, which is being broadcast on 91.9 Mhz. The station will broadcast both entertainment and informational programmes from its digital studios in Gangtok.

Announcing the launch of the station, Bobby Gupta, chief executive, Chinar Circuits Ltd, the promoter company, says, “The programming mix has been drawn to address the aspirations and interests of the people in Gangtok. It will include a rich mix of music; updates on sports, technology, films, books, careers, fashion and lifestyle; interviews with national and international celebrities; and humour and drama. There will be special programmes dedicated to the search and promotion of local talent.”

Detailing the programming format, Ayon Banerjee, programming head, Nine, says, “True to our motto – ‘Your Song, Your Voice’ – all programming on Nine will be highly interactive. Listeners will be encouraged to call in live or write in through email and SMS to share their views on the topics that we discuss as also to give us their requests for the songs they wish to hear or dedicate to someone.”

Banerjee claims that the station has put together the largest ever collection of Nepali music by a radio station in the world. Besides Nepali, the station has compiled English and Hindi songs, with music across genres and periods.

Explaining the brand building strategy for the station, Gupta says “The station will build a community around it. That will mean much higher emotional involvement with the station brand as also with the advertiser’s brand. For this, we will go beyond programming and organise a large number of on-air and on-ground promotions through the year.”

The station has made arrangements with Big River Radio (India) Pvt. Ltd, a Delhi based radio advertising specialist firm, to market airtime for its stations in Siliguri and Gangtok amongst national advertisers.

Gupta says of Nine’s offerings for advertisers: “Nine is the first truly local, interactive and inexpensive advertising medium that has been made available to local, regional and national advertisers for marketing their brands in this growth-centric part of the country. We will make sure the medium works for them. We will support advertisers, advertising agencies and media buying houses by offering our advice on writing and production of effective radio commercials, strategic scheduling of spots and creating value additions that go beyond the spots.”

To promote its station amongst listeners, Nine has also launched an advertising campaign created by K-Factor.