MUMBAI: Sun Network's radio venture, SFM will soon be rebranded Red FM, the station with which it shares a corporate entity. If sources are to be believed, this transition will help SFM gain mileage in cosmopolitan markets of Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi.

Sources mention, Sun Network owned Suryan FM in Tamil Nadu will not be rebranded into Red FM and only SFM stations in TN will be rebranded. All other SFM stations in the country are to be christened Red FM, it is learnt. Sun Network has seven frequencies in Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Tuticorin, Pondicherry and Tiruchy.

Sources say that except for the south Indian markets, the business hasn't been promising for SFM radio stations, while Red FM has been a strong revenue earner. Red FM's presence in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata will prove to be a boost for these stations.

Although the rebranding was supposed to happen in the month of July, it has been postponed and will now happen by August, it is learnt. It will help SFM to gain national coverage with the metro presence of Red FM stations.

Sources in SFM say that the station has received a nod from the Information and Broadcast Ministry and it has completed all the formalities for rebranding the station.

Among the SFM stations, Pune would be the first one to undergo change, it is learnt  The station would adapt elements of Red FM eventually and the stations would sound the same across all stations of SFM and Red FM. Radio jockeys from the SFM network were trained in batches in Mumbai by Red FM's Mumbai jocks RJ Malishka, Mantra and Jose. According to sources, the revamped station will adapt the back to back music format of Red FM.

SFM is in the process of planning a campaign for promoting its brand change. A major campaign will be carried across cities with SFM's presence to convey the brand change to listeners.

Pointing out that it is too early to comment, SFM officials declined to comment on the move but acknowledged that their network would be rebranded and undergo transition in the month of August. Sources added that any change or tieup is always keeping done with a perspective of enhancing the content and strengthening the revenues.

Astro's South Asia Multimedia Technologies Ltd (SAMTL) has last month decided to infuse between Rs 750 million to Rs 1 billion into Sun TV Network's radio subsidiary company South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL) and it has expressed its intent to up its stake from 6.98 per cent to 20 per cent.

According to the I&B Ministry website, Sun Network launched four frequencies in first phase. In the second phase, they launched two subsidaries- South Asia FM Ltd which bought 23 frequencies and Kal Radio, which bought 18 frequencies.