By Sonal Tirthani (Radioandmusic.com)
Posted on 18 October 2007 |
| 'I
use as much simple, local language as I can' |
|
A
chess champ, veejay and an RJ, Sekhar can easily claim to be the 'most popular
face' on radio in Hyderabad. After a stint in SFM, Sekhar jumped over to Big FM
and has been hosting the Big Sandadi show for a while now. He is also the only
RJ from the city of the Char Minar to bag two awards at the India Radio Forum.
In a chat with Radioandmusic.com's Sonal Tirthani, Sekhar talks about the
art and science of RJing. Excerpts:
You are the
only RJ from Hyderabad who bagged two awards in the India Radio Forum awards,
how does it feel?
It feels great but I had like to admit that when I won
the award I wasn't aware I'd won it. It was from a few colleagues and a website
that I found out that I'd won an award. I won the award for 'Best Telugu program
on radio for 2006-07' and 'Best Telugu promo on Radio for 2006-07'. I did both
of them with 93.5 S FM. It is really great to be appreciated with an award. Do
you think after an RJ bags such awards, the listeners' expectations increase?
Yes,
I'm sure they do because then you have to sound worth that award. Awards are a
responsibility too! An RJ must try to excel and not fall below the standards his
listeners set for him. You
started with VJing and still are a VJ on Gemini. How did radio happen to you?
When I started my career, radio was not a boom in Hyderabad. Television was
the 'in' thing and VJing the hottest career. I took it up and still enjoy my job
as a VJ. Then, when private FM players started entering Hyderabad, I decided to
give RJing a shot. Today, I really am happy with the way my career has shaped
up.
| What
research do you do to generate the content for your morning show 'Kevvu Kekaa'?
The four hours of my show are divided into four parts consisting of an
hour each. The first part is when we invite experts from the fields of numerology
or astrology; the second part is where I take up a current issue in the city and
ask people to voice their opinion. The third hour is dedicated to contests and
the fourth hour keeps changing, keeping the current festival in mind or we have
live coverage of college events etc. |
| |
How
much of local language and content do you use when you do links?
The
language in my show is completely colloquial. The target group of my show on Big
FM is SEC-C. The age group that I target is 30-40 years old, so I try and use
as much simple and local language as I can. It connects well with the listeners.
Not all RJs in Hyderabad follow this style. Each has a specific target group they
are catering to and develop their style accordingly. What
is your take on restrictions and regulations on RJs about what they talk on air?
Every RJ must understand that there is always a certain way to speak and put
across his thoughts to his listeners. An RJ needs to be balanced in his head.
Every RJ needs to respect the sentiments of the public, and needs to create a
positive identity and not a negative one. The recent Red FM case is a golden example;
the RJ could have said the same thing, differently. So
would you say that your step to do that marathon on air recently was to create
an identity?
I wanted to do something like that since a long time. During
my initial days at SFM, I wanted to do this but was waiting for the right platform
to create a record. I went through a lot practice and health care for that marathon.
I did it during a time when Hyderabad was facing a bad time because of the blasts.
I wanted to be there with the people at such a time and wanted to divert the attention
of the city. I wanted to lift up the spirit of the listeners. After
veejaying and RJing, what's next?
I would never want to quit RJing. It
is my passion and it has given me an identity of my own. I can't really stick
to it all my life either. But I want to eventually make a film. I have always
been very keen on making one. And may be some day I will direct a film. | 
