If you are an average English-language radio listener in your mid-20’s, I sometimes wonder if you are satisfied with listening to the same radio stations that have been in existence since your growing up years. You know the ones I am talking about, owned by a particular satellite TV provider?
Perhaps you are like friends of mine, who realised that most Malaysian English stations usually play the same hits over and over, new and old. First there are the Top 40 stations who play the same chart-toppers night and day while the radio announcers (they are not called DJ’s anymore, y’know) play prank calls on people and you realise you are not 18 anymore. Then there are the remainder of the stations who THINK they’ve got the more mature set of the demographic covered. While one station claim to have a ‘better variety’, they think that we the listeners don’t know that all they’ve done to improve ‘variety’ is to add the chart-toppers from our school days to their already stale playlist.
So where does the somewhat dissatisfied twenty-something English radio listener tune to? For those based in Klang Valley, hope came in the form of Capital FM. Catering to the urban demographic, they had shows that focused on the various music genres- urban, indie, electronic, alternative urban, rock. Not to mention some good announcer’s for their daytime and drive-home shows. Alas, this joy was shortlived as the shows and announcers started disappearing from the airwaves and the station is in limbo for about 2 months now.
What’s our final glimmer of hope then? Well, before you listen to Atlantic Starr’s ‘Always’ for the millionth time on Staid FM, give BFM a try. I’m sure you’ve heard of BFM, who doesn’t remember their excellent (and on-going) publicity campaign where various meanings to the acronym BFM were pasted on the backs of the city’s taxis?
Before you scoff away this station, consider 2 things:
1. You are already in your mid 20’s. Which is more odd: listening to ‘Gotcha!!” or something slightly more related to your life/work?
2. This station’s playlist is vastly different from the other stations. One thing I notice is that they play many classic rock tracks throughout the day. While the radio station’s shows are more serious in the early part of day, the programming becomes lighter from afternoon onwards.
One show worth listening to is Zack Yusof’s 33rpm that focuses on one musical movement in every episode (they played The White Stripes, Wilco and Pavement in today’s show). Occasionally, good music can also be heard on Shifting Gears. As this show features one philanthropist/rock star per episode, it really depends on how much you like that philanthropist’s music. In conversation will also feature the interviewee’s favourite songs, so you can hope that he/she has good taste in music.
With Capital FM being left without its radio announcers, my car radio has been tuned to BFM most of the time. As the playlist consists mostly of classic rock songs, while I do appreciate a departure from the predictable ‘variety’ of the other stations, I will still switch stations if I feel in danger of being overdosed on too many electric guitar solos. They do play current artistes every now and then: Muse, Alanis Morisette and surprisingly, even Glen Hansard.
Sometimes, I wonder what market research was done that led them to think that the target listeners of BFM listen to classic rock only. I love their talk programs a lot (Shazmin in The Big Picture is wonderful, if only it was aired during drive home hours). If only they spruced up their playlist with a bit of jazz, lo-fi singer-songwriter material, some alternative rock/electronic music- then they’d be able to rope in more 20-somethings like me -dissatisfied with the current radio scene and not afraid of some talk on the radio.
Being a business station, I hope they will have what it takes to stay afloat unlike other English stations (e.g WowFM, Capital FM).
Footnote:
BFM is on the frequency 89.9FM in Klang Valley
33rpm with Zack Yusof: 8pm weekdays
The Bigger Picture with Shazmin: 2-5pm weekdays
Shifting Gears: 5pm weekdays
In conversation: 7pm weekdays
BFM has been locked onto my radio tuner ever since i heard about it a year ago. i find their talk shows absolutely relevant and the music simply the best. i believe the radio station deserves more notice. great job on creating awareness!
it’s just too bad that their shows are mostly during office hours. i guess that’s what podcasts are for
i think being a business station, they’d be able to market themselves sufficiently without my help. Unlike some other radio stations hehe..
I like how you’ve gone non-mainstream-ish! I thought I was the only weird and “un-hip” person to abandon the more popular radio stations like Hitz, Mix or Light and Easy =p. I’m currently writing a music blog. It’s a bit slow but I’m hoping to introduce people to different forms of music
time to leave the herd behind, as the wise men used to say
i got bored of pop music rather quickly after realizing the wealth of creativity that is to be found in the many genres of music out there. why limit your self to the obvious, right?
plus, pop songs borrow heavily from the musical styles of “non-mainstream/weird” music. they just derive and water it down so that it can be accepted by the masses