‘Video killed the radio star’ is turning out be an outdated adage. When Apple launched a podcasting channel in iTunes in 2005, downloadable podcasts started catching on. Later, it launched its Podcasts app for mobile users. Soon after, apps like Stitcher and Pocket Casts followed. Podcasts seem to be changing the game in the US and Saavn, an erstwhile music-only product has decided to be bullish about this new wave. Currently accessed in 196 countries, Saavn offers 30 million tracks in 13 languages and their competition is Indian podcasts like Audiomatic and Indicast.
After foraying into audio entertainment streaming in April this year with a line-up of original non-music audio programmes ranging from comedy and storytelling to mythology and cricket, Saavn is set to launch around 13 new shows in August and September. The highlights of the new roster of original programming are shows like Film Companion with Anupama Chopra , #NoFilter Neha , a talk show hosted by Bollywood actor Neha Dhupia, and the new instalment of Saavn’s Artist-in-Residence (AiR) programme with the acclaimed indie musician, Indian singer-songwriter and composer, Raghu Dixit.
Gaurav Wadhwa, Vice-President, Entertainment and Originals, Saavn is spearheading this expansion beyond music streaming by building verticals in entertainment, sports and original programming. According to him, the development is aimed at reeling in more millennials. “We wanted to move away from content at license from someone else to exclusivity. The Bollywood influence will be distinct since 60-70 per cent of our streams come from Hindi film music. Data analytics have helped us identify the genres to focus on,” says Wadhwa.
Tour de force
Film Companion hosted by critic Anupama Chopra on YouTube is a platform for film lovers with cinema content like reviews, interviews and video essays. Since it has amassed a firm credibility over the past two years, the show on Saavn is intended to be an extension.
“This is in many ways complementary. Anupama inhabits the world of TV and internet, and we now want to represent her world on our audio platform. It would be like a symbiosis,” says Wadhwa, while affirming that both the visual and aural entertainment formats can cohabit genially.
He adds, “It will feature interviews with film personalities, as well as an in-depth look at what’s worth watching in India’s ever-growing movie scene.” Premiering on August 11, in the first special episode, Anupama Chopra will be talking to a panel comprising music director duo Vishal-Shekhar, composer, musician, singer and lyricist Amit Trivedi, and music composer and guitarist, Ehsaan Noorani, on the changing landscape and future of Bollywood and the music industry. It will stream twice weekly, every Thursday and Friday on Saavn.
“In #Nofilter Neha , the hostess will rely on tongue-in-cheek humour for some no-holds-barred conversations from Bollywood A-listers. Imagine revelations like who’s sexting whom. When the camera is off, celebrities are at ease and the content, exciting,” says Wadhwa.
Apart from aspiring to create original quality programming and bringing India’s best talent in storytelling to the mobile phones of listeners, Saavn wants to be the home of artists and creators. Artist-in-residence (AiR) offers a platform to new musicians to take their music to the world. In April, popular electronic artist Nucleya was announced as Saavn’s AiR . With this initiative, Nucleya’s music could be streamed and heard in over 29 countries, and allowed Nucleya to collaborate with homegrown and international artistes.
“We want to make Indian indie artists big outside of India. We know Raghu Dixit will knock it out of the park,” says Wadhwa. Raghu Dixit says, “I love the freedom and full control over the content being created.” To kick off Dixit’s debut as Saavn’s AiR , Saavn will be backing Dixit’s global tour, Masterplan for Happiness , by promoting the tour through their app and social channels.
Disruption vs. Play it Safe
Mobile is the new frontier and Wadhwa is exhilarated about the possibilities in the audio format. “Though many people own smartphones, bandwidth and data plans remain problems. Audio streaming, as opposed to video, is marked by a lower consumption of bandwidth. We are building a new category of audio entertainment and we are excited,” he says.
Wadhwa laments the daily struggle of choosing disruption over taking the unimaginative safe route. “Disruption comes in many forms. Our show Time Machine, featuring mythological stories, has nostalgic value but it is designed for the young. The artwork for the promotion was done by a graffiti artist. That is disruption.
Artists like Neelesh Misra who have had audiences on radio can now reach out to a wider base of listeners. In a tie-up with Red FM, we have sourced horror stories which were once aired on the radio station. If you hear something on radio, it is gone after you listen to it.” ‘
He adds that creating this archive enables us to create a repository of content on demand. “Along with this collection, new stories will be aired on Ek Kahani Aisi Bhi . The medium itself is a disruption. You cannot multitask with videos, but audio allows us that. I anticipate friends making decisions like which movies to catch by listening to Anupama’s reviews while driving to the theatre. That is also disruption,” says Wadhwa. He adds that the sweet spot in terms of duration of audio shows differs geographically. “It depends on factors like drive time, chai time and average exercise time. In India, commute time is about 45 minutes. Accordingly, the cap for the length of our shows is 30 minutes,” he says.
The author is a freelance writer
