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MUMBAI:
With the elections nearing, political parties of every shade
and hue are gearing up to toot their horns with ad spends
of around Rs 6 billion likely to be splurged across all media.
And this time a lot of that moolah is likely to find its way
into the coffers of both TV and radio stations. Radio station
heads are rubbing their hands in glee.
According
to Indiantelevision.com's estimates, the political ad spend
on radio will be around Rs 500 million, which comprises 10
per cent of the sector's annual revenues.
"We
are expecting the radio sector to garner around 5-8 per cent
of the total media spend. This is a windfall for the sector.
The BJP has started its campaigns on some of our radio stations.
We are in discussions with other political parties. We will
be only carrying spots," says Red FM COO Thomas Abraham.
Not
all that spend will, however, flow into the coffers of the
private FM radio operators. Says Radio Mirchi CEO Prashant
Panday, "All India Radio will corner about 50 per cent
of the total spend. Private FM radio operators should be able
to mop up anywhere between Rs 300-350 million."
According
to Radio City EVP & national sales head Ashit Kukian,
"The current spend is going to come as a boon for radio
stations which have been hurt by the drop in retail and financial
advertising."
Media
observers say that the radio stations are quoting card rates
for political ads as compared to earlier when discounts were
common for commercial advertisers.
"This
at a time when advertising inventory on radio stations is
going abegging," says a media buyer. "It's a bonanza
for the FM radio stations and for all of us. And to top it
all, the payments are mostly in advance."
But
there's no denying that the parties are using a medium that's
more effective than TV, say all the radiocasters in one voice.
Big 92.7 FM SVP sales Praveen Malhotra says,"We reach
288 constituencies through our network. For any political
party this is an excellent platform, given that they can localise
their messaging as per their communication requirements of
a particular constituency. They do not need to go with one
common template and that is what works fantastically."
"Using
a radio station to campaign for the elections is a very diligent
idea as this is one of the best ways to target the youth.
It reaches voters who are illiterate and it covers more than
one constituency. For example, Radio Mirchi Bhopal station
reaches more than four constituencies. The advertising cost
is low as compared to other mediums and the power of voice
reaches the people," adds ENIL COO Nandan Srinath.
Kukian says his company has been approached by the BJP and
Congress and certain regional parties from the south while
Radio Mirchi has already started airing the Congress 'Jai
Ho' campaign.
Big
FM is airing both Congress' 'Jai Ho' and BJP's 'Mazboot Neta
Nirnayak Sarkar' across the day parts. With the shot in the
arm that the hustings are expected to give to FM, many of
the ad sales heads are going to be singing Jai Ho to the elections.
Also
Read:
BJP
to give FM radio a leg up in poll campaign
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