FM Derana:

A novel experience

Anuradha Kodagoda

“Numerically the Sri Lankan entertainment market is small. In marketing, there are three things to fulfill before catering to a market. That is, measurability, accessibility and sustainability. For a country like Sri Lanka, the third factor cannot be fulfilled since the market is too small.

Therefore it’s truly challenging to sustain in the business of entertainment if we are not concerned and be updated about the current trends in the market.

However, we started as a television channel which is more complex than the radio channel and now moving in to the radio channel with the promise of ‘Embracing novelty while upholding values’ to the Sri Lankan radio industry,” Chairman of Derana, Laksiri Wickramage said in an interview with Daily News.

Wickramage was explaining the concept of the launch of their new radio channel FM Derana.

“Derana will be positioned on a platform of optimistic and positivism, with a cheerful and upbeat mix of contemporary and popular music as well as relevant and informative chat shows,” he said.

Q. What should be the main responsibility of electronic media?

A. Nowadays we are living in a highly pressurized society.

It’s not only because of the competitive working environments but also due to the hectic lifestyle of the people. Therefore we strongly believe that, the main responsibility of the electronic media should be to entertain the public, keep them relaxed and take off their day-to-day stress.

We, as a responsible media unit in the country, have taken the initiative and taken the challenge of entertaining the public.

Therefore as a result, we are delighted to present our radio channel, FM Derana, which is not only ‘another radio channel’ but would surely be a novel experience to the public.

Q. What are the main reasons to launch a radio channel?

A. The main advantage which I see in a radio channel is that people can listen to it while engaging in some other work such as driving, working, cooking, playing etc. On the other hand, though we are talking about globalization, still there are people who cannot afford to buy a television.

However, I think that is the main reason why people still have a binding relationship with radio. Actually, according to research that which we have conducted over the past few years, we realized that even though there are many radio channels available there is a significant potential of market still available for a different kind of radio channel.

For example, though there are many radio channels available, most of them are repeating the same collection of songs and conducting the same type of programs which now may be outdated. People are often seeking changes in their lives. Since we are in the business of entertainment, we should realize this need of the customers and cater to them with the correct product.

However, we are quite confident that our Derana team has already understood these changing needs of the customers and is well prepared to address their needs.

Q. Today, there are many radio channels available in the country. How do you distinguish Derana Radio channel with the rest?

A. Though there are so many radio channels available in the country, I think there are only a few which is doing well in the market. To flourish in the business there should be strong marketing strategies which can differentiate the product from the rest of the flock.

Radio channels are mainly relying on the songs. Though there are a few niche segments available in the market, our main focus is on the majority of the society. Through the research we conducted during the past one and a half years, we could understand and gauge the demand and the tastes of the majority.

Therefore, we believe that we have already differentiated our product according to the desires of the people in our country which is with the correct blend of the songs.

It can be further customized according to the needs of the majority of the society.

Q. Is there a specific listenership targeted in FM Derana?

A. Derana FM is for the mass market, and there are no age barriers for the listener-ship. FM Derana is driven by a team of broadcast professionals who single-mindedly share in the positive philosophy of the station.

The handpicked team has vast exposure and a deep understanding of Sri Lanka’s radio industry and customer markets.

FM Derana operates a fully digital studio employing the latest technology available to broadcasters.

The channel will broadcast programs island-wide from inception, via five strategically situated base stations beaming clear and consistent signals across the country.