MUMBAI: Reliance Broadcast Network Limited's digital initiative, BIG Digital, which offers mobile and online solutions, has launched India's first ever talk internet radio,  christened BIG Net Radio, which seeks to capitalize on the growing internet users in India and internationally. The specialized talk internet radio channel will offer entertainment across the most popular areas of appeal, ranging from Bollywood to spiritual and  humor. However, it will be purely talk, and no music.

The content available on BIG Net Radio is designed to appeal to audiences who seek quick and brief entertainment capsules which help them de-stress. Launched as an FOC service, BIG Net Radio content is being crafted to offer complete entertainment, as well as to put forth unique opportunities for advertisers to reach out to a rich,  specific audience base of over a million entertainment seekers on the internet  BIG Net Radio has been designed as a snack-in-snack-out entertainment option, and will upload fresh content each day to ensure the entertainment is current.

Soumen G. Choudhury, Head of Radio and Digital Business, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd., said, India has over 50 million internet users, of which consumers in the 18 to 30 years age group are increasingly using the internet as a medium to stay connected and source more and more entertainment. This is an excellent audience base which advertisers seek. Online advertising in India is expected to grow at the rate of 32 percent between 2010 and 2013 to touch Rs. 20 billion in 2013, only highlighting the humongous potential that lies before us....

With the opportunity to monetize through page branding and banners,  and the 3G revolution knocking at the doors, RBNL believes the opportunity for BIG Digital's BIG Net Radio is tremendous. Marking the beginning of its ambitious plans, this business division will take BIG Net Radio beyond talk, penetrating various facets of people's lives via local and regional music playouts, thereby encouraging local talent and serving hyper-local  tastes.

What kind of business opportunity does a purely �talk' net radio service without music – radio's biggest driver – offer? Says Choudhury, India is increasingly consuming entertainment through the internet and this number is only poised to increase. Bollywood, spirituality and humor are the pegs that work excellently with Indian audiences. Entertainment consumption habits and a mapping of the target audiences, points at shorter break requirements wherein they are consciously looking for quick Bollywood updates or humor capsules to unwind and so on – this, not necessarily in music format, but also through quality talk content. The pegs have been selected given the clear understanding of requirements....