I rarely host radio shows on FM Gold now but things have been different in the past.
And guess what?
My listeners are upset because I simply “disappeared” from the scene without any explanation.
So, in this article, I shall present my case about why I (almost) stopped presenting shows on FM Gold. I am doing so because I feel I owe my listeners an explanation. After all, they are the reason why I chose radio jockeying as the starting point of my media career before becoming a voice over artist.
But hold on for a sec. Let me give you a brief list of the shows I presented from December 2003 until March 2014 (if my memory serves me right):
- Arpan
- Sargam
- Gaate-Gungunaate
- Radio Yatra
- Hello FM Gold
- Radio Rhythm
- Radio Reel
- Andaz-e-Bayan
- Yeh Rastein Yeh Manzilein
- Ye Shaam Mastani
- Sadabahar Dus Gaane
- Sangeet dot com
- Shukravar Raat Gold
- Shanivar Subhah Ki Chai
- Ravivar Chhutti Ke Bahane
- Shanivar Raat Gold
- Ravivar Subah Ki Chai
- Ravivar Raat Gold
As you can see, I did almost all the shows (loads of them) from 2003 to 2014 (and still do but only once in a while).
Let me tell you that creating radio shows back then was fun. The RJs used to have the liberty to “create” something out of thin air with their imagination and fantasies.
Then something unfortunate happened:
Post-2013, a bunch of delusional people (who thought they “owned” FM Gold) started “giving orders” to the RJs to create radio shows to their liking. Well, I must admit that as an artist, I am pretty bad at taking orders from people who don’t know even the Abcs of either radio or broadcasting.
Situation Worsened Over Time
Many things happened in the channel that forced creative people to either quit or keep quiet for the most part. The “delusional” people ruined every bit of it. Things went haywire. A place that used to teem with creative people has now become a factory.
Things are so screwed up that now, All India Radio doesn’t need presenters to create radio shows. Instead, they need “workers” to produce the shows (similar to laborers producing toys on an assembly line).
The moment you “produced” a radio show, it’s dead because you took out its soul in the process.
If you are a regular listener of the FM Gold channel, you must have noticed the gradual decline in the quality.
The reason:
The “quality control system” bullies and harasses the artists and promotes the “workers.” All in the name of compliance and obedience. But in doing so, they missed the point, which is…
“Art” is Not the Same Thing as a “Job”
What’s the difference between an art and a job?
Art is spontaneous and unpredictable. So much so that nobody can predict the outcome, not even the artist himself. But that’s exactly the whole point of being an artist—you are free to create anything out of thin air. And because the outcome is not set in stone, you can “move” people with your craft and create sheer beauty while doing so.
On the other hand, in a job, the worker is supposed to follow orders and do as instructed. In other words, he does not have the liberty to create—he’s expected to do as told. You can mold a worker as you wish because he is fearful of losing his job—and that’s exactly what makes him obedient. But you cannot tame an artist because fearlessness is the very first requirement to become one.
So that’s that.
Now, I don’t need to reiterate how much I worked hard to become a radio broadcaster. It took me almost four years to have one successful voice audition. There was a charm, a grace, a creative satisfaction in being a radio jockey. I strived to create my next radio show better than the last one.
And where did that motivation come from?
It was the result of the training I did back in 2002 for almost two months:
Cueing audio cassettes, getting cue sheets from duty rooms, submitting filled production sheets from studios to duty rooms, and sometimes fetching even lunch and snacks for the radio presenters on duty had its own joy.
And why did I do all that?
Because my mentor, Mr Vijay Deepak Chhibber once asked me to take my training “seriously.” Now, I must say I was fortunate that Mr Chhibber trained me. The insights he shared with me about broadcasting were invaluable. His words inspired and guided me in times of on-air crises, and they still nourish me as a voice actor.
But that’s all in the past. Things have changed for the worse and I don’t see them improving anytime soon.
In the end, all I have to say is this:
Creating radio shows is an art. That’s why artists worship Goddess Saraswati and not Lord Vishwakarma. When you start producing radio shows instead of creating them, they cease to be a piece of art.
Keep your production. I am in love with my art. 🙂