MUMBAI: The India Radio Forum's opening CEO Panel Discussion had radio broadcasters discussing the way radio as a medium is perceived by the media buyers and how it should adapt itself in the coming year.

Moderated by Media E2E CEO Atul Phadnis, the discussion had a panel of the top radio CEOs in the country, concurring that the radio industry is responsible for its sorry state in terms of advertising. Radio city COO and AROI president Apurva Purohit opined, "We should have been the fameholders of the medium but we are under cutting the potential of advertising in the radio stations. The advertisers are investing in the medium without understanding the efficacy of a particular radio station."

Agreeing with her thoughts, Big FM COO Tarun Katial averred, "We have lowered our potential so have to negotiate with the advertising prices. The radio industry has to realise its potential and demonstrate its power in the coming year."

Talking about the year ahead, Katial said, "Our main agenda must be to consolidate three factors- advertising, listenership and multiple licenses to give radio a new face." Purohit said, "What we should look ahead in the coming year must be multiple licenses by the government. This in turn will lead to new genres in the radio industry and help the radio industry to boom".

"Everybody keeps talking about multiple licenses but I doubt if there are enough funds to support all the upcoming stations", questioned Katial. Red FM COO Abraham Thomas pointed out that it was high time that players and advertisers alike focussed on the 70 smaller markets, rather than concentrating their energies on 10 metros.

"Revenues of the radio industry has grown by 40 per cent. So, it is viable for existing players to experiment with new formats if not for the new players entering the market," pointed out Purohit, while talking about the revenue flow in the industry. However, Radio One CEO Vineet Singh Hukmani was of the opinion that instead of looking out for new frequencies, radio stations must consolidate their existing frequencies and experiment with challenging formats.

Radio Mirchi CEO Prashant Panday says, "It is important to look at profitability of radio as a medium. Government allowing multiple frequencies and news in radio, higher cap on foreign holdings will change the face of radio."