Out of a total of 40 centres, initially the AIR FM channels will be located in Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, Srinagar and Guwahati. Although AIR FM is getting into both news and entertainment, it's working overtime to package and present `news' in a completely new style. Says Mr Awasthi that the news channel will have news, views, interviews, discussions and whatever else is in the ambit of news. The FM news channels will cater to that segment of listeners who are not served by the Medium Wave (MW), says Mr Awasthi.

``We're particularly targeting the urban and young listeners, who are addicted to FM.'' Since these young people will be the opinion makers and newsmakers of the future, AIR wants to reach this huge consumer class, he explains. Apart from getting a committed audience, AIR's aim is also to make some money from the FM venture. ``We'll focus on offering good content, but also look at the advertising opportunity keenly,'' Mr Awasthi says. To be available initially in English and Hindi, AIR will offer programmes in regional languages and even in dialects at a later stage, depending on the needs of an area.

The FM channels will be able to network through the satellites, says Mr Awasthi. Since it's a 24-hour channel with news in several areas including current affairs, lifestyle, politics, health, medicine, music, culture, sports, finance, etc, AIR is talking to several content providers to be able to offer the best, according to Mr Awasthi.

On whether these content providers would include those who have defaulted in the private FM operators' bid, Mr Awasthi says: ``We'll have to study the content providing arrangement case by case.'' But, he adds, that AIR is not looking at big players such as Zee. ``We are focussing on small producers who've done good work for us before.'' However, right now, it's an open game as far as tie-ups for content is concerned. Although no tie-up has been finalised yet for providing content to AIR FM, Mr Awasthi says: ``We would like to have the tie-ups in place before we begin.''

He adds: ``We want to start well.'' And for a good beginning, AIR is also considering an arrangement with BBC, whereby the two broadcasters can share content. But, even if content sharing doesn't work, AIR will ask BBC for its expert advice on how to improve its news programmes. ``Maybe BBC could give our people some hands-on training,'' he says. Beginning the FM venture with an investment of Rs 10 crore, which will sustain it till March 2001, the next budgeting will happen thereafter. On revenue generation plans, he says: ``We hope to make money out of FM. But can't say as to when and how we'll break even.'' Right now, the only thing that AIR is sure about is that its FM channels will be informal, trendy, and lively.

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