MUMBAI: FM radio stations across the country are set to usher in the new year with a festive programming line up on 31 December, the clouds of global recession and cross border terrorism notwithstanding.

While some are marking their ground presences with partnerships with year end events, others have roped in celebs to talk about their achievements on air. An innovative concept that seems to have caught on with most stations this year end is 'saluting the achievers' among us - needless to say, the nation's defence personnel figure high on this list.

The on air programming too appears to be at its creative best. Big FM's Mumbai Station announced the journey of its �2008 Ki Last Local' into 2009 starting on 29 December. RJs across shows have been speaking about people who have made it during the year, and those who missed the bus. The �Big Flopstars of 2008' will be crowned on air, with listeners getting a chance to call in and give their reasons justifying their selections.
The next day would see the exact opposite situation with RJs across the station would be applauding the successes of the year. The last day of the journey would be the most exciting with celebrities who have just missed the train being discussed.

Celebrities who could have just made it to the successes of the year, but didn't make it would also be discussed. The first day of 2009 will see �First Day, First Shows' of all the RJs in a very dramatic and extravagant on air format. Big's Delhi station is launching the �Longest On-Air Dance Party' on 31 December, in which rocking and foot-tapping dance chartbusters will be played starting from 6 pm to 3 am. It also played party music from 9 pm to 1 am on 29 and 30 December. Big FM Delhi also aired �Party Ka Jugaad' in which listeners stood a chance to win passes for the most happening New Year Party at Elevate & Bar Code.

The Big Bangalore station will end 2008 with a special character called �BandalaChari' who will give funny predictions for 2009 along with party updates and safety tips to enjoy the New Year's eve celebrations. The station will welcome the New Year with Crystal Ball reading by a renowned clairvoyant followed by the TOP 100 music countdown. Across at Chennai, live links are being taken from the streets of Chennai on how people are celebrating their new year's eve. On 1 Januray, Big RJs will visit temples, other worship places and also youth hangouts to interact with listeners. At the Kolkata station, an innovative �Prothom Dine-er Adda' will be aired on 1 January, with RJs talking about the prediction for 2009 and will also see RJs interacting with listeners and taking their views on how many �bandhs' will be called in the city in 2009. The station will welcome the New Year with prediction from specialist including astrologers, numerologists and tarot card reader.

On 31 Decemeber, Big's Hyderabad station will have RJ Shekhar taking a new year's resolution to create awareness on global warming and as a part of this resolution Shekhar will promise to commute to office by bicycle one day in a week. RJ Shekhar will use natural light while hosting his shows (will not use tube-lights and bulbs).

To involve listeners in this noble campaign, Shekhar will mobilize people to draw a 2500 sq. feet Rangoli on Makar Sankranthi made from recycled papers, CFL lights and plants. Big's Gwalior station is partnering Asian Paints for a party at Hotel Central Park.

Over in North Bengal, Radio Misty is partnering five shows in Siliguri, along with a series of on air initiatives. Misty will air all hit numbers on 31 December, and at midnight, all the RJs will give live updates about New Year celebrations.Achievers from different field of life will be taken on air to salute their achievements. Radio Misty is partnering Savin kingdom, the largest amusement park New Year celebrations, the Orchid in uttaryan, the largest township of the region and the Lions club of Siliguri citizens for the Jhoom Barabar Jhoom show. Blue mountain country club and resorts has also partnered with Radio Misty for its New Year show.

Says Radio Misty Chief executive officer Nishant Mittal, "Radio Misty is always in forefront in new innovations. We are always connected to listeners in Different ways. We always play the music listeners want, give highest priority to their opinions. With series of ground activities on New Year we are making a big connect with listeners."

Radio Mirchi, on the other hand, has associated itself with a bunch of engaging and entertaining on ground activities such as college and theatre festivals, Christmas and New Year special carnivals.

According to the station, the brand associations are an attempt to entertain listeners through various avenues. The list includes initiatives such as the Ghajini promotion that gave an opportunity to the listeners to meet and greet Aamir Khan in person, association with college festivals such as VIBGYOR 2008 (college fest of International School of Business and Media), BLITZKRIEG 2008 (ICFAI Business School), COBWEB 2008 (college fest of LHMC) and SPANDAN 2008 (college fest of Vivekananda College), theatre festivals at India Habitat Centre, India International Women's Film Festival, Public Art Festival and many more.

Among Mirchi's elongated Christmas celebrations are an alliance with the Sunshine Kids Carnival where kids enjoyed the carnival with their parents. Mirchi Bana Santa, personalised gift service by the station was another initiative by the station. For the New Year, Mirchi has launched its Mirchidaar �Happy New Ear' campaign wherein the station is providing its listeners a chance to win goodies that will be related to everything about �ear'.

Says Mirchi's cluster head Srinivasa Shenoy, Year End is one time where everybody gets into the celebration mood and we at Radio Mirchi decided to provide our listeners an elongated festive season. The multiple initiatives are conceptualised to bid adieu to 2007 and welcome 2009 in the true Mirchidaar style....

Radio City, on its part, plans to usher in 2009, with back to back 'Whatte Fun' celebrations. The FM network is bringing listeners a host of exclusive shows and content for eight days non-stop to welcome 2009 in style.
With 'Achievers of the Year', airing on Radio City 91.1FM's popular morning breakfast show, 'Whatte Fun Mornings' (7-11 am) from 15 December onwards, the FM network is saluting real-life Achievers across 20 cities in India. Felicitating these achievers, Radio City is taking their story out to the people. Some of these achievers include the likes of scientists, cricketers, artists, musicians, defense personnel, social activists and sports champions among several others.

Radio City's salute to the nation's achievers moves into the FM network spreading Christmas cheer with 'Ho Ho Santa Claus' on 'Whatte Fun Mornings'. Rewarding winners with goodies, this fun-filled contest will have listeners guessing on which eminent personality is their 'Secret Santa' of the day. The new year special programming includes the Radio City Top 500 Countdown from 27 to 31 December, capturing each city's Top 100 songs from five different themes. Radio City stations in 20 cities will also sum up happenings of the year 2008 and offer a sneak peek into what's coming up with fun, light-hearted forecasts to look out for in 2009.

There's also the all-night 'Whatte Fun' New Year Party On-Air as Radio City plays out some of the most melodious foot-tapping music, non-stop into the New Year 2009.

Red FM has an interesting line-up of shows specially designed to herald the New Year - Bajaate Raho ishtyle. Among them are '2008 Mein Baj Gayi Re' – a snapshot of all the people/things/events that were bajaaoed in 2008….kisne kiski bajaayi! ; 'Red FM Superhits Top 100' - The year-end baap of all countdowns - 100 rocking, superhit songs of 2008 which is being aired from 27 to 31 December. Also in the offing are the best moments of 2008 from the morning shows in the three cities specially captured for listeners; including the famous Murgas, Shendis, Bajaate Raho Awards, Kolkata Awaaz Uthao, Side Effect, Red Mike, etc.

Besides this, 94.3 MY FM has a special treat for its listeners in the form of the Best of MY CLUB MIX... CD brought out in collaboration with T-series. The Audio CD is a compilation of the most well received songs on MY FM's popular weekend show MY CLUB MIX... and follows closely on the burgeoning success of the Chandni Raatein Classics CD.

During the past week, as the CD was launched, 94.3 MY FM's 17 stations had contests and on air promos by city based celebrities and saw several contest winners bag the Best of MY CLUB MIX... CDs. The Official Launch of the CD took place on-air in Chandigarh, Jaipur, Raipur, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Indore, and Bhopal on the 21st December.

Commenting on the initiative, MY FM COO Harrish Bhatia said, The Best of MY CLUB MIX CD is one of our special offerings for our listeners who have loved and appreciated the show on-air and it is a perfect New Year Bonanza for this party season. In our endeavor to bring our brand closer to our audience – the listeners & the business associates both, we have, in past, engaged them in various innovative activities. The list includes - brand activations at agency premises, at listeners' hot spots, bringing out Music Audio CDs of our best shows, conducting Radio surveys etc....

In keeping with its expressed goals of being a socially responsible media, MY FM Ahmedabad played the Good Samaritan once again, bringing warmth to the homeless in the city with its humane initiative. MY FM Ahmedabad's team of enthusiastic members embarked on a door-to-door collection drive for old warm clothes and covered over 4800 homes in eight days. The clothes are to be distributed among the homeless people today on New Year's Eve. The initiative has drawn the support of several corporate houses like TATA Indicom, Timbor Cucine, Corporation Bank.

As a socially responsible radio station, we believe we can do our bit to society. This initiative should not only help bring cheer to the poor recipients of the winter-wear but also the citizens who have contributed freely to our noble initiative. It will surely spread the good cheer and warmth in Ahmedabad this New Year and we are proud to be the agents of this service. At MY FM we believe that we can be the vehicle of change and the Ahmedabad team has really proved that MY FM's heart and soul belongs to the people.... added Bhatia.

The collection drive conducted between December 19 to December 23 apart from door to door collection also comprised pick-up points at several city landmarks and media displays in college campuses, local hangouts and a MY FM canter on the streets to urge people to donate winter clothing for the underprivileged. The collected clothes have been washed and restored for distribution on New Year's Eve.

Tadka is celebrating the last days of 2008 by reminding its yearlong activities. Short review of activities that were played on special occasions like Makar Sakranti, Republic day, Valentine day, Holi, Teacher's day, Mother's day, Christmas celebration etc. are played in a flash back program on FM Tadka. Tadka is always there for its listeners whether it is Mihir kidnap case or Meenakshi ko Bachao campaign. The captivating programs of Tadka are Solid Breakfast, Thadi.com, RPM, BBC ek mulakaat, and Ravivar ka Parivar. The shows on Tadka are interactive and presented in innovative style, which makes Tadka among the top choice of the masses.