Anil Ambani launches India's first talk Internet radio

With cellular service-providers unveiling 3G plans, Anil Ambani-led Reliance Broadcast Network's (RBNL) digital vertical Big Digital today launched the country's first-ever talk Internet radio.

It said the 3G roll-out would give a substantial boost to the segment.

The talk Internet radio has been christened as BIG Net Radio.

"India has over 50-million Internet users, mostly in the age group between 18-30-years and is growing, thus boosting the on-line advertising, which is expected to grow at 32 per cent to touch Rs 2,000-crore by 2013. This highlights the humongous potential that lies before us," RBNL's Business Head (Radio and Digital) Soumen G Choudhury said.

The Big Net Radio, Choudhury said, is the first-ever pure talk net radio in India, which will work excellently with the growing populace seeking entertainment on the Internet, he said.

"Internet radio is poised to increase even as Bollywood, spirituality and humour are the pegs that work excellently with Indian audiences and the company is working towards providing 24-hour seamless entertainment to the audience," Choudhury said.

Through this initiative, BIG Digital is looking at capitalising on the growing Internet user-base, both in India as well as the global Indian diaspora, seeking this entertainment.

On revenues, Choudhury said, "The segment has an excellent opportunity to monetise through page branding and banners but its too early to point at a revenue target, however it will most certainly be pointing north."

The revenues would get a major boost from the growth in on-line, high-end mobile applications and via partnerships with mobile operators, who are looking for innovations.

"3G will boost the Internet usage via mobile substantially. It will see a surge in the entertainment consumption through the mobile platform, posing an excellent growth potential for this product through the deployment of BIG Net Radio on the mobile phones," he added.

The company intends to promote the segment heavily across the multi-media platforms such as radio contests, click and win–online promotions, mobile sms blasts, out of home and also through below the line innovations, he said.