YEH HAI VIVIDH BHARTI…

 

(Sachin Bhagwat & Kapil Shikhare)

Radio is considered to be the most powerful medium of mass communication in India and the chief and cheap source of information, education and entertainment for the audience. Radio broadcasting began in India in 1927, with two privately owned transmitters at Mumbai and Calcutta. These were nationalised by the British Raj in 1930 and operated under the name Indian Broadcasting Service until 1936, when it was renamed All India Radio (AIR). AIR was officially renamed to Akashwani in 1957, however all English usage refers to it as All India Radio. Despite the growth of private radio channels since the 1990s, All India Radio (AIR) remains a popular media resource, being accessible even in the remotest parts of the country. AIR covers 99.37% of India's populace of over one billion. AIR maintains approximately 225 broadcasting centers around the country including one in the capital of every state, a total of 384 channels and transmits in 24 different languages and dialects. In spite of recent penetration by other media such as Cable TV, AIR remains the most common means of gaining access to information and entertainment, as the radio receivers are relatively cheap and affordable. AIR has many different services each catering to different regions/languages across India. One of the most famous services of the AIR is the Vividh Bharati Seva .This year Vividh Bharti Seva is celebrating its Golden Jubilee which will start from 3rd Oct.2007 and will run till 2nd Oct.2008.

 

Vividh Bharati and Commercial Service : The popular Vividh Bharati Service of All India Radio was conceptualized to combat 'Radio Ceylon' in 1957. Within no time it proved to be a popular channel of every household. The service provides entertainment for nearly 15 to 17 hours a day. It presents a mix of film music, skits, short plays and interactive programmes. Some of the old popular programmes of Vividh Bharati are 'SANGEET SARITA', 'BHULE BISRE GEET', 'HAWA MAHAL', 'JAIMALA', 'INSE MILIYE', 'CHHAYA GEET' ETC., are still distinctly recongnised by the listeners. From time to time new programmes were introduced like 'BISCOPE KE BATEIN', 'SARGAM KE SITARE', 'CELLULOID KE SITARE', 'SEHATNAMA', &' HELLO FARMAISH',. 

 

All these programmes are produced centrally at Vividh Bharati Service,Borivili, Mumbai and up-linked to the satellite. 40 Vividh Bharati stations across the country down-linked these programmes through captive earth stations provided at each of these AIR stations. Some local programme windows are also provided at these stations to give regional flavour to the listeners. These 40 Vividh Bharati stations are known as Vigyapan Prasaran Seva ,the Commercial Broadcasting Service Stations and are located at all major and commercially vibrant cities covering 97% of the Indian population. In 1999 Vividh Bharati Service proved its success connecting Indian Soliders posted on remote border areas to their family members through a special programme entitled "Hello Kargil", through which not only the family members of the soliders , but even a layman including young and old conveyed their best wishes to the soliders to keep up their morale. Eminent actors, play back singers, renowned writers, lyricists, directors and music directors have found way to express their experience and opinion through the Vividh Bharati Platform . A special programme entitled "Ujaale Unki Yaadon Ke" takes the listeners into the world of nostalgia dipping into the memories of the artists of the yester years. With the advent of new technology the transmission of programmes gradually migrated from earlier medium wave transmission to high quality digital stereo FM. Commercials were introduced initially in the Vividh Bharati Service in the year 1967 on an experimental basis. Realising the role of advertising in accelerating the social and material progress of the country, commercials were extended to Primary channels including FM & Local Radio Stations in a phased manner. Advertsing on Radio is not only cost effective to the advertisers but also has the potential to reach far flung areas where no other mass media has succeeded in making any tangible dent. 

 

 Some of the popular programmes of Vividh Bharati can also be heard on our National Channel from 2300 hrs. to 0600 hrs. This service now enjoys global listenership through Direct to Home Service (DTH) besides other 11 channels of All India Radio.   This service is the most commercial of all and is popular in Mumbai and other cities of India. This service offers a wide range of programmes including news, film music, comedy shows, etc. The Vividh Bharti service operates on different FM/MW/ SW band frequencies for each city.

 

Even after the emergence of private FM radio channels in India, Vividh Bharti seva is still popular in all over India and is the most listened single Radio channel of the country. With several private FM radios , India is become one of the largest  radio markets in the world. Radio’s reach is phenomenal; especially India has triggered new interest in radio as a very personalized medium. Promising an unprecedented choice of programme genres. There is no doubt that Vividh Bharti Seva will continue to play significant role in exploiting the rapid technological developments, in this age of coverage of technology.

 

In last 50 years Vividh Bharti’s Broadcasting has had a chequved history in India. For a long time this has served as an entertainer, educator and information provider for the society that emerged from long subjugation into an era of new hopes and aspiration occupying the center stage of mass communication.

 

Vividh Bharti has also ushered in crucial motivational changes in a traditional society for adoption of innovation and break through in almost all areas of development. And for a Radio listener , Vividh Bharti Seva has never gone out of ears & it will always remain a part of daily life forever. 

 

 

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