RBNL to invest around Rs 200cr in FM radio segment

Reliance Broadcast Network (RBNL), a Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group company, plans to invest around Rs 100-200 crore to tap the private FM radio segment, which is expected take a leap when the third phase of licensing for
stations kicks off, a top company official said today.

"The radio industry is poised for exponential growth with phase III rollout. We have already built robust radio network and after the rollout we will get an opportunity to further increase our reach. We plan to invest around Rs 100-200-crore for the phase III rollout," RBNL's Chief Executive Officer Tarun Katyal told reporters.

The radio business currently contributes to around 70% of the company's revenues, while the remaining 30% is contributed by other businesses including TV, intellectual property (IP) and out of home (OOH).

"With the proliferation of digitalisation of television channels in the country, we want to focus on our TV business. We want to increase our revenue share from the TV business to 30-40% in the coming five-years," he said.

The company is eyeing over 30% growth in its overall business in the next five years "through a strategic and well planned business plan," he said.

RBNL currently beams four channels including three from its joint venture with US-based CBS studios-BIG CBS PRIME, BIG CBS SPARK and BIG CBS LOVE and BIG LIVE. It has also launched BIG MAGIC which is exclusively for Hindi heartland of UP, MP and Bihar.

RBNL plans to launch two new television channels in this fiscal in collaboration with television channel major RTL Group, Katyal said, adding that the channels will be in the reality and action entertainment genres.

"The company is exploring opportunities to grow its bouquet of channels to a significant number and also take them global over a period of time, targeting emerging markets. We plan to take the CBS channels to South America," he said.

In the radio segment, the company expects to start the phase-III of its expansion plan, which will increase its radio station count by 223 new stations, he said.