Kolkata businessman sets up FM station in Dubai

Friday, 16 April 2004, 19:30 IST
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KOLKATA: A city-based business house has set up the Gulf region's first FM radio station in Malayalam. The Bose Group, which has large business interests in shipping and media, bought an AM radio station two years ago in Dubai that presented a seven-hour capsule every day. In 2003, the station was turned into a 24-hour affair, but now the channel has gone on the FM mode for the first time. "This is the first Malayalam FM radio station in the Gulf region," Bose Group chairman Swapan Sadhan Bose announced. The 24-hour station, receivable on 94.8 FM in Dubai, would have two distinctive packages - one covering infotainment and the other presenting programmes for the youth. Explaining the decision to start the station, Bose said: "I'm first an Indian and then a Bengali. I'm happy to be able to start the Malayalam station." The Radio Asia station (AM band) is popular among south Indians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. The new FM station can, however, only be received in the UAE. The Bose Group chief said they were also looking at the possibility of starting a new Hindi FM station in the UAE. "We are making inquires as we are interested in such a venture," Bose said. The Bose Group runs the city-based Bengali daily Pratidin.
Source: IANS