New broadcast format by FM Gold 102.3

[Muthuraman]

Hi Rasikas,

Recently the FM Gold Channel has re arranged the format of the programes, thereby cutting down the Carnatic Music slots which were earlier alloted. Namely 7 AM, 11.30 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM slots.

By this act,rasikas are deprived of about 4 hours of classical music.

Request all rasikas to kindly give their opinion. If any person is having access to the Top management of AIR, request them to kindly esclate the same to senior people at AIR, so that the time slots are regained.

Thanks
Muthuraman.V

[srikant1987]

This is dreadful!

With the advent of cabel TV, radio is the sole remaining medium where a non sabha-goer can "run into" (quality) Carnatic music. It is especially sad that this should be done now, when radio itself is just resurfacing, with more FM stations and wireless technology / in-built radios on cell phones.

This will only result in making CM even more "hereditary".

[eesha]

This is currently a hot topic in discussion groups of www.sangeethapriya.org

Based on my appeal, many members of the above said groups had written to CEO of Prasar Bharati registering their protest and concern. And the CEO has replied to each and every one mentioning that he has referred the grievance to the director general of AIR.

Members of this forum also should write to the director general at [email protected] with a copy to CEO of Prasar Bharati at [email protected] so that AIR FM Gold Chennai restores those carnatic music slots

[Rsachi]

Just a curiosity. Is the 102.3 FM Gold received in many cities or only Chennai?

[Muthuraman]

FM Gold is broadcast in many cities, all metros and other important cities.

I have already sent an e mail to the CEO of Prasar Bharati, requesting for the restoration of the earlier time slots for Carnatic Music. I have also marked a cc to emiment musicians like Sri TVG, Sri Rama Varma etc , seeking their support in writing to the appropriate authorities for restoring the time slots.

Muthuraman.V

[Rsachi]

Great to hear that!
I wonder how I can receive Chennai FM Gold programs in Bangalore.

[eesha]

Great to hear that!
I wonder how I can receive Chennai FM Gold programs in Bangalore.

Dont know that, but select concerts from Chennai FM Gold get recorded and uploaded by TVG in sangeethapriya

[venkatakailasam]

Here is a News..

AIR cuts down on Carnatic music...

Broadcasts reduced due to falling revenues, say officials

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/air- ... 164802.ece

[sairaam]

S. Rajam once said - radio was the only medium that was used by most artists to perform according to their manodharma, not caring about listeners... He presented vivadhi ragams in many radio concerts... So were some exclusive Laya Vinyasams by Legends.. But with slight marketing and by going online - it can be back. Afterall radios were the biggest promoters of carnatic music throughout India. It cant be justified saying they hv loss of revenue...

[rbharath]

it is indeed unfortunate that they have cut down concerts..

i was a regular with most of the day-time slots and do miss them very much.. wish they do some rethinking and put some of them back..

[srkris]

AIR might say one day they are unable to maintain all those recordings due to pressing budgets and throw them out in favour of more contemporary (read revenue generating) stuff. How can we stop this gradual trend that is happening before our very eyes.

Did the AIR have a public consultation asking for people's opinions before giving the short shrift to Carnatic Music?

Is there anyone in AIR who does not recognize the maxim "Art for art's sake"?

[varsha]

They dont throw out those reels. Some genius has made a contraption that snuffs out the life of them . A demagnetising box . One puts in a reel inside , closes and cranks a lever . And lo they have a blank tape to record hasinis golden moments .
Hitler should have seen this . Would have been spared the bother of the gas chambers

btw I dont see any of the artists on the rolls of AIR ever protesting by way of dharnas etc

[classicallover]

The mail Id [email protected] is wrong or not working. All of you may please rush your mails in a flood to the following addresses.

[email protected] ( Dy. Director, Music , Akashwani Bhavan, New Delhi )

[email protected] ( Dy. Director, Policy & Planning, Akashwani Bhavan, New Delhi )

Ms. Aparna Vaish, ( Addl. Director General , Additional Director General, Prog. Planning & Development, Public Relations, International Relations, National Channel, Akashvani Bhavan, New Delhi. Ph. 011 23421632 )

Smt. Alka Pathak, ( Additional Director General , Spokenword, Drama , Music, Official Language , T & P.E.S., Akashwani Bhavan, New Delhi . Ph : 011 23422018 )

Dr. Vageesh , is himself an accomplished concert performing carnatic musician , the second has an important role in policy making, while the third is incharge of public relations. The fourth is in-charge of music.

[RaviSri]

This is not a recent trend. AIR indulges in these acts from time to time. In the 1980s itself, a new Director called Subramanyam took over as in-charge of the Madras station. The first thing he did was to cancel the 8-20 a.m. broadcast of Carnatic music, in which you had senior and A grade artists performing live, apart from the Sunday broadcasts of stalwarts who had passed away.. He knew nothing of CM though he was a Tamilian. He liked kathAkAlakShepams. Therefore he started broadcasting these live from various centres, mostly temples. There were vociferous protests, strangely, not by vidvans but by rasikas who were addicted to the 8-30 concert. Sruti magazine registered its protest and Pattabhiramam also interviewed the Director who said that CM was not the be all and end all of everything. There were other interesting programmes going on in various parts of Tamilnadu (he meant his favourite kathAkAlakShepams) and it was the duty of AIR to cater to the vast number of rasikas of kathAkAlakShepams. Anyway, AIR had a large number of records (LP. EP, 78 rpm etc.) which were not being used at all, and these would be played between 9-15 and 9-45 and at other convenient times. And CM rasikas cannot expect their favourite art to have the lion's share of the time anymore. They have had it for decades now. It was time for a major change. So said the worthy.

Fortunately there was some Tamilian who was a rasika at the top in the I&B ministry in Delhi who, lending a ear to the thousands of letters of complaint, ordered the Director to restore CM to its previous position, which the latter did but he reduced the time by 10 minutes. Two months had passed by and 60 morning concerts were lost. What started at 8-20 a.m, immediately after the English news was now changed to 8-30. Some kind of sadistic satisfaction he derived.

No one after Director Sarukkai Gopalan and his trusted lieutenant T.Sankaran have really worked for the cause of CM in the AIR excepting B.R.Kumar to a certain extent. What little we hear of CM in the radio, especially in TN was because of the tradition established by this duo who worked in tandem in the 1940s and 50s.

As for the tapes, most of them have been left to rot, many having been destroyed permanently. And many were simply looted and taken home by certain unscrupulous elements within the AIR itself.

I don't know what the above mentioned North Indians Vaish, Pathak etc., are going to do for CM. They must be happy that CM is being thrown out of the radio. That is the attitude of the Northies towards anything Southern, excepting dOsai and iDli and sAmbAr it is a fact that they know nothing about the South. its culture and traditions.

[venkatakailasam]

I feel some political pressure has to be brought in..Representatives from rasika forums can initially meet to discuss and evolve

common interests in the matter...Shri GK Vasan as trustee in Thiruvaiyaru Aradhana committee and a minister in GOI may be approached

with our problems and suggestions for suitably taking up with Ministry of Information and Broadcasting...

Above is only a random thought...

[Javali]

[email protected] ( Dy. Director, Music , Akashwani Bhavan, New Delhi ) - I am sorry, his correct email id is "[email protected]" - He is Dr K Vageesh, a very eminent carnatic vocalist, a performing artist - he is also a top bureaucrat in All India Radio incharge of carnatic music. He is Dy Director General based out of Delhi. He belongs to the lineage of Tiger Varadachariar and his music has very strict classicism and is known to deliver chaste music.
Hopefully he will be able to excercise his authority to restore the earlier time slots in AIR (which itself is not sufficient )

[srikant1987]

There are these A/C Volvo buses in Bangalore which have an in-built radio, and some FM station will be usually be on in them.

This is one of the more memorable songs that I've heard on bus journeys like that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53retC2EyQ0

[CRama]

i heard the announcement in GM Gold requesting for suggestions as to the content of programmes in FM Gold and FM Rainbow. This is an opportunity for the music rasikas to voice our request for restoration of carnatic music slots. WE should email to [email protected]. I request all our members enmass to email to this address for more slots for carnatic music in FM GOLD.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks CRama for the information. As the request has come from AIR they (FM Gold) may not ignore the suggestions from the listeners. it is also observed that carnatic music slots have been scaled down in many other frequencies too.

Recently someone suggested me to tune to AIR Ragam (DTH service over TV network) which broadcasts a variety of programmes from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. As TV ( mainly a visual channel) may not be spared for 'audio' listening, the access to it for the typical carnatic music lover in any household may not work out!

I relish carnatic music broadcast only over the radio.

[CRama]

One good news for music lovers. FM Gold has started Isai Malar programmes starting by !.10PM.Just listening to U.Sreenivas -Pancharathna kritis.

[eesha]

One good news for music lovers. FM Gold has started Isai Malar programmes starting by !.10PM.

!.10PM = 1.10 PM.

[arasi]

Every day?

[CRama]

Yes. Everyday from 1.10 PM to 2.00PM

[arasi]

CRama,
Thanks!