Jagran Group to bid for private FM radio licences

The Jagran Group, which publishes India’s number one daily, ‘Dainik Jagran’, is planning to venture into the private FM radio business.

In an exclusive interview with agencyfaqs!, Sanjay Gupta, CEO, Jagran Prakashan, says, “When the fresh bidding for FM radio licences begins, we plan to bid for multiple stations across cities.”

Gupta declined to divulge further details on the number of cities and preferred stations, saying it would be premature to comment on this.

He, however, clarified that, just like the group’s newspaper, the content of the radio channels would also be meant for the masses. Gupta says, “We will provide what the masses want. If it is Hindi songs, like is the case even now, we will base our programming on songs.”

Industry experts had earlier predicted that as the market for private FM radio opens, there will be keen competition between language publications and radio stations for advertising revenue. This will result in many language publication groups venturing into the radio business.

Gupta of Jagran does not see radio as a threat to print. He says, “Radio will only complement print as an advertising medium. Besides, India is such a huge market, very little of which has yet been exploited. There is enough space and opportunity for multiple media of advertising to exist. If one advertiser chooses radio, another will choose print. That will even out the equation.”

© 2005 agencyfaqs!