Did you ever think the radio will serve you bhoot storiesIJ Sangeeta Yadav speaks with Anand Raj, National head, programming and non-traditional revenue of RED FM, who has made it possible for the first time in India
Tell us about Ek Kahaani Aisi BhiIJ
This radio drama features stories centred around the supernatural phenomenon. These stories have been compiled from every nook and corner of our country after extensive research. Every episode will feature a new story and RJ Praveen will take the listeners through the tales in his very own engaging style. The show went on air on September 1, 2014 and will be broadcast every Monday to Friday from 9 to 10 pm across major stations in our network.
Bhoot on a radio show! How comeIJ
RED FM has always believed in introducing new genres for discerning listeners. Horror as a genre is extremely popular on television and we believe it will work brilliantly in this avatar too. Every city has some iconic or legendary tale regarding haunted places, supernatural incidents or people and we wanted to share these unique tales with our listeners, offering them something new on radio.
But is it possible to create horror through the audio mediumIJ
It is an interesting and challenging project. Packaging, sound effects and an overall theme were some of the things we worked on rigorously to ensure that the listeners get to see the picture that the RJ is trying to convey. Praveen’s tone, background music and the script have all been taken into consideration to enhance the fear factor.
Were you nervous about this genre not doing the trickIJ
With only the sense of sound to rely on, it was most risky territory. However, we realised that sound has always been an intrinsic part of horror shows. There are some iconic tunes/sounds that immediately help in creating an eerie ambience. Additionally, you need to have strong content to entice the listeners.
What is the recording schedule likeIJ
We chose the story for the day and then the team gets down to research work. We, then work on the script and create a package.
What’s the team structure likeIJ
With a special project like this, you need to have a lot of backend support. While there are some people researching on stories, there are others who just work on execution. The sound and technical teams are obviously the most important.
So, usually how long does it take to wrap up a storyIJ
The show is hour-long but it takes a much longer to create it. This involves, research work which began two months ago, scripting for each show which takes at least a day and then editing and packaging which again take a couple of days.
What role does technology play in all thisIJ
We have used various instruments to produce the required sound effect which has been further enhanced to bring in the horror special effect.
How has the response been thus farIJ
It’s very early to say that it’s a runaway hit, but the initial response has been fantastic.
Has radio become a new competitor in the entertainment industryIJ
Today radio has become one of the biggest sources of entertainment, thanks to its reach and availability even in the remotest corners of the country. With a growing listener base, we need to cater to all listeners with vivid interests. Since they also look at us for a variety of entertainment, we try to provide all kinds of entertainment be it music, drama, celebrity talk, current affairs information or other things.
What lies aheadIJ
loads of exciting shows but we reveal only as we go along. Till then, stay tuned.