• Investment World
• eWorld
• Brand Line
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest
• The New Manager

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources
• In Focus
• In Depth

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• Business Line
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Purvita Chatterjee

Ties up with Primetime International

Mumbai , July 21

Kagiso Media, the South Africa-based radio station company, is entering the Indian market through a joint venture with Primetime International Services, an independent media sales company in India.

Forging a 50:50 joint venture, Primetime Kagiso will offer radio consultancy services through its brand — Radio Minds.

It would offer comprehensive services to radio stations and advertisers; represent radio stations across the key centres of India; and will be a one-stop shop for advertisers.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr Rathnakar Rai, Managing Director, Primetime International, said, "We intend providing a range of consultancy services which would include offering business strategies to radio companies."

Using research, the consultancy company will advise radio companies on programming formats and relevant programmes for its target audience, besides giving suggestions about managing, branding and positioning the brand of the radio station.

It will also provide consultancy in ad sales as regards to managing the ad inventory to optimise the returns on ad sales from the radio stations.

The company would customise Kagiso's patented software for the Indian market, and radio stations have to make a one-time payment for the software, which can be licensed, across stations.

Mr Rai said, "We would be managing the software for radio stations and help them figure out where it can be used."

Apart from helping in ad sales, the company would also help build the radio station's brand and would be looking at multimedia synergies and on-ground activation programmes as part of its marketing strategies.

Training packages

Primetime Kagiso also plans to offer training packages that would cater to potential station managers and radio jockeys with modules to excel in their field.

"We would have a team of trainers since talent development will be crucial for this business which is already facing a shortage of trained manpower," said Mr Rai.

Meanwhile, radio companies already operating in the country continue to hire individual consultants for advising them on their business strategies. Kagiso Media, one of the largest radio companies in South Africa with an experience of running over seven radio stations, expects to bring in competencies in running the radio business to India. "With the second phase of radio bids, we expect the business to become nearly Rs 300 crore this year," said Mr Rai.

Primetime Kagiso expects to tap into this business opportunity and is already in talks with players such as Malayala Manorama, Dainik Bhaskar, and Mathrubhumi, who plan to enter the radio business.

More Stories on : Strategy | Alliances & Joint Ventures | Radio/TV

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Jawed Habib plans bodycare brand

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line