"Preparations are underway to launch our first FM station in Chennai by August end," informed Rajeev Nambiar, COO, Malar Publications. Malar has won licenses for FM operations in seven cities - Coimbatore, Madurai, Pondicherry, Tiruchy, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin.
Under FM Phase II expansion, the Government has allowed interim transmission in the four metros and in the cities of Hyderabad and Jaipur, in which players can start operations by setting up their own infrastructure before the common infrastructure by BECIL is ready.
Ramesh, who has 10 years' experience in the advertising industry, was Head of Programming at Radio Mirchi Chennai. He had earlier worked with Lintas, Chennai as its Creative Director. He also has five years' experience in the television industry, of which two years he spent with Tamil channel Raj TV as VP, Marketing. Ramesh also had a three-year stint with Sri Lankan Shakti TV as Station Director in Colombo and was in-charge of programming and marketing.
Commenting on Ramesh's appointment, Nambiar said, "I know Ramesh from his Lintas, Chennai days. I call him a creative Professor of Radio who can articulate experience and learning in contemporary style. Ramesh is a person who considers local as hip and that it can wear an attitude. As content head is the nerve centre of radio, we are happy to have him in our team."
Ramesh on his part said, "Radio offers a lot of promise both for the radio industry in general and for our brand in particular, considering the fact that we are truly a home grown brand in the context of FM radio being a very local medium." ["KARAN"
