Chennai saw the rise of its first private radio channel Radio Mirchi and Suriyan F.M. It first played filmy music and English music, for its listeners. Later Akashavani also came up with a unique FM station Rainbow. It played for a limited number of hours in a day and played regional language music. Then started Radio city, they innovated music playing concept by playing regional language song back to back. Radio One, Aahaa F.M, Biig F.m and many more! With all this the 10th F.M channel is all set to rock the city in a month, the Muthooth group backed, Chennai Life.

From being the only source of entertainment before independence to fading away under the glory of Television three decades later, and eventually mushrooming to its progress boom, the radio industry has has seen high and low. Radio few years ago was synonymous with Vividh Bharati, and was a secondary and often neglected form of entertainment. With the emergence of FM radio, everything changed. Radio had risen from the ashes. The FM radio war had begun.

Radio is now more interactive, and the listeners regularly interrelate with the various stations, unlike yesteryears when radio was a non-interactive medium. Whereas television is a medium that's driven by programming and not by the guise of the channel, it's a different ballgame on radio

Music in radio crosses the time barricade since they play golden oldies and modern music. Additionally, radios are wholly live and interactive, disseminating music and simultaneously providing the latest information on the current happenings within the city, whether it�s a traffic jam, an event or a contest on-location. Deepak, a second year engineering student says �It is a welcome break from heavy class work. While driving or just sitting at home, it is really nice to move around with earphones plugged. It is the current craze on campus"

Shamala, a homemaker says: "It is nice to have the radio playing in the background while doing house work. It relieves the monotony of work. We are all set to achieve another milestone and revolutionize the entertainment�

Radio is back alright� But is it here to stay??

SOWJANYA.S