afaqs! news bureau
Media

Radio Misty gets 'local' conscious

Sikkim's FM station will don a new look based on listeners' feedback

Sikkim's Radio Misty 95 FM has donned a new avatar. The station has a renewed focus on local content. The radio station decided to change its programming strategy after a survey carried out in the region.

About 2,000 people were surveyed to gauge the listeners' feedback and suggestions for the radio station. Based on the results of the survey, the content and music have been redesigned. The station will now play 65 per cent local content and 35 per cent Hindi and international content, as against playing majority non-local music earlier.

Radio Misty gets 'local' conscious
"Our motto is local content, local people, local choice and local voice. The new emphasis on local music is what the listeners have demanded. Band culture is very popular in Gangtok and hence local and Nepali music will rule the airwaves now," says Nishant Mittal, chief executive officer, Radio Misty. The station, which earlier had only 25 per cent local music, will also have a blend of Hindi and international music thrown in.

New shows have also been introduced as a part of the new mix. These include programmes such as Geet Gunjan on weekdays, Misty Express, Misty Cool Drive and Sparsh on weekends.

Radio Misty is implementing a campaign titled 'One and only' across outdoor, print and local television. It will reiterate that Radio Misty is the only FM station in Sikkim which airs 24 hours and create buzz around the revamp. "We aim to make the station even more localised by taking more callers on-air and laying more emphasis on local events," Mittal adds.

A venture of the PCM Group, Radio Misty is broadcasted from Siliguri and can be heard in the districts of North Bengal, including Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, South Dinajpur, North Dinajpur, Coochbehar and the eastern parts of Bihar and Sikkim. There are two other FM players in Sikkim - Nine FM and Red FM.

Have news to share? Write to us atnewsteam@afaqs.com