Rameez Makhdoomi.
From the decades and even in the present age, radio is considered to be an important tool of mass media. It has a strong history of influencing the hearts and minds of people. Radio is always thought off to be a powerful media for news, entertainment, knowledge and awareness. Through radio, latest news, speeches, interviews etc. can be effectively transmitted. We can listen to radio even by closing your eyes. At the time of travel, at work place, in the public place everywhere you can use this instrument and get the information and entertainment. People especially from rural areas listen radio while working in fields, workshop or even at home. Radio is a simple and powerful media for journalism. Despite tremendous technological developments; this important medium of mass communication-‘Radio’ still maintain its importance and this is much relevant when one witnesses places like Kashmir. The radio still has tremendous audience base in the Valley of Kashmir and growing.
If one would have asked some years back to people of Kashmir to name their favorite radio station. It is a question which most radio fans of Kashmir would have answered without thinking for a fraction of a second. The answer used to be unanimously and overwhelmingly in favour of “Radio Kashmir station”. Whatever your favorite genre, there was probably only this local radio station you could count on to deliver the goods and meet your diverse tastes aptly. You listened in your bedroom and in the car; you knew the “Presenters” like they were your friends.
But off late, Radio Kashmir has lost its sheen and popularity base owing to rotten programme structure. While as the Private Radio Stations like Big FM 92.7 have gained much popularity and virtually overtaken the once strong audience base of Radio Kashmir. The major part of station’s appeal lies in its ability to effortlessly draw in listeners to a world of happy chit-chat and Bollywood hit music. The presentations are simply quiet imposing and excellent.
While on the other hand, the vivid radio listeners frustration with radio Kashmir is growing all the time —hearing programs and features you were already tired of have become symbols of radio Kashmir and it simply fails to meet the desired expectations of the radio listeners , especially the aspirations and tastes of the younger generation.
But off late, Radio Kashmir has lost its sheen and popularity base owing to rotten programme structure. While as the Private Radio Stations like Big FM 92.7 have gained much popularity and virtually overtaken the once strong audience base of Radio Kashmir. The major part of station’s appeal lies in its ability to effortlessly draw in listeners to a world of happy chit-chat and Bollywood hit music. The presentations are simply quiet imposing and excellent.
MUSHTAQ AHMAD, a vivid radio listener said, “Radio Kashmir in the recent times has been producing quiet unimpressive range of programmes. “SHAHER-BEEN” the once most popular programme of the Kashmir valley has lost much of its audience. “AAJ KI SURKHIYA”, the programme that is dedicated to bring headlines of newspapers fails to give equitable representation to all the newspapers and lacks effective presentation. From analytical point of view, it looks eminently clear that in this era of growing and flourishing International and FM radio stations, the said radio station has simply lost its target audience and it desperately needs to refurbish its working style in this era of stiff competition”.
The majority view is that there is definitely lack of diversity in content of programmes aired from Radio Kashmir, and station is simply dishing out monotonous and ill presented programmes, which are often bereft of standard and attractive forms of entertainment and news, theme and current affairs, all this is leading to dissatisfaction among audiences and they are fast shifting to other available alternatives. The programmes like DHADKAN also require some new twist to suit the taste of audience.
With the likely chance of more private radio stations entering the market space the competition for Radio Kashmir is likely to grow stiffer and stiffer. All this calls from more proactive approach from the concerned stakeholders to rejuvenate “Radio Kashmir”.
Audience in unison is demanding the need to put to pragmatics a new wave of dynamics into the working of Radio Kashmir so that it can regain its lost glory. But for the moment, the programs broadcasted on “Radio Kashmir” fail to make an impression on masses and are failing to connect themselves to the hearts and minds of the masses