From the radio world
Longest-running programme
Asia's longest and the world's second longest radio programme Cibaca Geetmala (earlier known as Binaca Geetamala), anchored by Ameen Sayani was broadcast continuously for 43 years from November 1951 till April 1994. Produced in India, it was broadcast from Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Radio Ceylon for almost 40 years and subsequently continued on Vivid Bharati, All India Radio.
Radio, roses and a celebration!
To celebrate the Taj Mahal's entry into the new list of the Seven Wonders of the World and thank the people of Bangalore for voting so loyally, a 10ft high and 18 ft wide model of the Taj Mahal using 60,000 red roses was made under the aegis of Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM and Kasturi Floritech, a rose cultivation company in Bangalore. Roses after all are a symbol of love, just like the Taj is!
The Mirchi Taj was showcased during the Independence Day Flower Show between August 8 16, 2007 at Lalbagh Botanical Garden. Actually, until August 14,59,999 roses were used and the last red rose was put on the Taj on the 15th, to mark the 60th anniversary of the country's Independence.
First private FM radio station
Radio City FM 91 (now 91.1), a 24-hour entertainment station set up by the Music Broadcast Private Limited was launched on July 3, 2001 at Bangalore as India's first private radio
station.
First private FM channel
Times FM, the private FM music channel was launched by the Times of India Group in 1993. Broadcast on the AIR FM slot, it was shut down in June 1998. On Oct 4,2001 it was relaunched as Radio Mirchi in Indore by Entertainment Network (India) Limited (ENIL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Times Group.
Most letters about a radio programme
Aravind Nilkanth Navare of Pune, Maharashtra has been writing a postcard to his son Ajit Aravind Navare in Mumbai every day about Chintan, a programme that broadcasts on All India Radio (Pune Centre) every day. The first letter was written on March 30,2001. Aravind had completed 2,144 letters as of July 31,2007.
First radio quiz for schools
Cadbury India Limited's Bournvita Quiz Contest started as a radio programme on the Vivid Bharati Channel of All India Radio on April 12, 1972. Hamid Sayani anchored the show. In the late 70s, Hamid's brother Ameen Sayani took over as the quizmaster. The show was taken off the air in 1984, revived in 1990 and ran till 1992.
WR: Longest-running school quiz
Bournvita Quiz Contest which started as a quiz on radio in 1972 changed its presentation format in 1993. Quizzes were conducted live in schools in six metropolitan cities. In 1994, it became a weekly televised show anchored by Derek O'Brien and continuously ran on Zee TV till 2001 after which it shifted to Sony. It is Asia's largest Quiz with the most episodes reaching out to students through Derek O'Brien Associates to six other Asian countries besides India.
First musician to endorse radio channel
AR Rahman, music director and composer signed on as the national brand ambassador of WoridSpace Satelitte Radio as of April, 2006. He composed and produced an exclusive WorldSpace song.
First chat-cum-live band show on radio
FM Rainbow, Goa organised a 12-episode radio series, Idea Nite of the Fortnight, a chat-cum-live band show between Oct 15, 2004 and April 1, 2005. Bands could only play original compositions. The first episode featured the band Alcatrazz and the last episode had the band Forefront playing. The programme staged at AIR's auditorium at Panjim, Goa, was conceived, devised, hosted and produced by RJs Savio de Noronha and Bambino. Idea Cellular limited was the official sponsor of the show.
Asia's longest and the world's second longest radio programme Cibaca Geetmala (earlier known as Binaca Geetamala), anchored by Ameen Sayani was broadcast continuously for 43 years from November 1951 till April 1994. Produced in India, it was broadcast from Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Radio Ceylon for almost 40 years and subsequently continued on Vivid Bharati, All India Radio.
Radio, roses and a celebration!
To celebrate the Taj Mahal's entry into the new list of the Seven Wonders of the World and thank the people of Bangalore for voting so loyally, a 10ft high and 18 ft wide model of the Taj Mahal using 60,000 red roses was made under the aegis of Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM and Kasturi Floritech, a rose cultivation company in Bangalore. Roses after all are a symbol of love, just like the Taj is!
The Mirchi Taj was showcased during the Independence Day Flower Show between August 8 16, 2007 at Lalbagh Botanical Garden. Actually, until August 14,59,999 roses were used and the last red rose was put on the Taj on the 15th, to mark the 60th anniversary of the country's Independence.
First private FM radio station
Radio City FM 91 (now 91.1), a 24-hour entertainment station set up by the Music Broadcast Private Limited was launched on July 3, 2001 at Bangalore as India's first private radio
station.
First private FM channel
Times FM, the private FM music channel was launched by the Times of India Group in 1993. Broadcast on the AIR FM slot, it was shut down in June 1998. On Oct 4,2001 it was relaunched as Radio Mirchi in Indore by Entertainment Network (India) Limited (ENIL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Times Group.
Most letters about a radio programme
Aravind Nilkanth Navare of Pune, Maharashtra has been writing a postcard to his son Ajit Aravind Navare in Mumbai every day about Chintan, a programme that broadcasts on All India Radio (Pune Centre) every day. The first letter was written on March 30,2001. Aravind had completed 2,144 letters as of July 31,2007.
First radio quiz for schools
Cadbury India Limited's Bournvita Quiz Contest started as a radio programme on the Vivid Bharati Channel of All India Radio on April 12, 1972. Hamid Sayani anchored the show. In the late 70s, Hamid's brother Ameen Sayani took over as the quizmaster. The show was taken off the air in 1984, revived in 1990 and ran till 1992.
WR: Longest-running school quiz
Bournvita Quiz Contest which started as a quiz on radio in 1972 changed its presentation format in 1993. Quizzes were conducted live in schools in six metropolitan cities. In 1994, it became a weekly televised show anchored by Derek O'Brien and continuously ran on Zee TV till 2001 after which it shifted to Sony. It is Asia's largest Quiz with the most episodes reaching out to students through Derek O'Brien Associates to six other Asian countries besides India.
First musician to endorse radio channel
AR Rahman, music director and composer signed on as the national brand ambassador of WoridSpace Satelitte Radio as of April, 2006. He composed and produced an exclusive WorldSpace song.
First chat-cum-live band show on radio
FM Rainbow, Goa organised a 12-episode radio series, Idea Nite of the Fortnight, a chat-cum-live band show between Oct 15, 2004 and April 1, 2005. Bands could only play original compositions. The first episode featured the band Alcatrazz and the last episode had the band Forefront playing. The programme staged at AIR's auditorium at Panjim, Goa, was conceived, devised, hosted and produced by RJs Savio de Noronha and Bambino. Idea Cellular limited was the official sponsor of the show.
