GECs
‘We are an urban metro player and will be operating in seven crucial markets’ : Vishnu Athreya – Radio One VP programming and brand
Radio One has changed its positioning from a niche to a mass station. With help from BBC which picked up a 20 per cent stake in the venture, the focus now is to have a presence in seven big markets – Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune and Ahmedabad.
Introducing the ‘masti fatafaat recipe,’ Radio One has introduced a 20-20 format with the promise of quick masti delivered through 20 minutes of infotainment.
In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Nasrin Sultana, Radio One VP programming and brand Vishnu Athreya elucidates that this is not a mere ‘winning the number’ strategy but would provide differentiation from rival stations.
Excerpts:
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Why did Radio One shift its position from being a niche to a mass station? |
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What does Radio One stand for now? |
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How has BBC helped in evolving a strategy for Radio One? |
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What has BBC’s contribution been in terms of content? |
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Could you tell us more about how you arrived at your current format? |
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Why is it that all the FM stations are suddenly hooking on to the fun element? |
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Do you think listeners tune in to a particular station because that station provides him a particular format? |
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Has BBC’s participation made a difference to Radio One in terms of listenership and ad revenues? |
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Could you elaborate on your popular shows BPO Nites and Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki?
Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki was initially launched to meet the need of estate-agents. Now our contracts with the agents, who were sponsoring the show, are running out. But we will continue with the show. It is unique in that it talks about the current real estate scenario in Delhi. Real-estate agents give tips on when to invest and when to sell property. |
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Do you think that the music industry is charging too high for the content? |
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Almost all the FM stations are positioned as CHR (contemporary-hits-station). Do you think this boosts up the sales of music industry and music gadgets like ipod?
FM stations have made youth develop a liking for Indian music. Earlier the college goers and music lovers would always go back to the western music. Now FM stations provide an option. Music lovers are contended with Bollywood music. Why go to Britney or Jlo when they get a better option? FM stations should be credited for popularising Bollywood music in India. |
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Do you agree that the programming in all the radio stations is cluttered? |
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| The current ILT (Indian listenership track) report by MRUC says that the listenership growth has stagnated. What do you think of this? I am aware that the growth is not so high. Please consider that this is a completely new industry in India. We are just five-six years old. Some of us are much younger than that. We will need some time to grow and mature. You can’t compare it with the robust TV or the film industry in terms of consumers.
If you go through the ILT report and compare the last two waves, you will notice that Radio One has gained listeners as compared to other stations. We have lost a good amount of listeners when we had to shift our frequency to 94.3 FM. Now we are gaining as the ILT data shows. |
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| When are you launching your three remaining stations? We will soon launch in Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Pune to complete our network of seven stations. |
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
