Wednesday May 28, 2008

Cosy place to jam

Air Raves by ANTHONY THANASAYAN

ARE you bored with the present humdrum offerings on radio? And perhaps, even desperately looking for something more out-of-the-ordinary to whet your music appetite?

Well, if you are, then look no further. CAPITAL fm is the station for you! CAPITAL jams is a four-hour show on the FM broadcaster that is loaded with new music from a variety of genres.

From start to finish, listeners will be treated to some of the hottest music, including rare tracks from hip-hop, broken beat, dub step and many others.

In fact, there is a good chance that the music played on the show – which is sourced from all over the world – is not likely to be heard in any of our other FM bands.

Admittedly, while some listeners may find such selections weird, Arabyrd, the show’s host, insisted to Air Raves last week that they are eclectic and appeal to music lovers from all age groups.

Frankly, I could not help but totally agree with her when I tuned in to the show over the weekend. The music was odd but curiously wonderful. It is great for people at home on the weekends with nowhere to go but to share a cosy and private party ... on air.

Arabyrd, who is really 22-year-old Malaysian Arafah Edruce, is also rather unique in her style of presentation. Apart from having a cute voice and accent, her speech is unscripted. But that is not a problem as she seems to be able to gel well with the music she spins – occasionally even talking while the music is still playing.

And no wonder because she is a performer too: she raps, sings, dances and is about to release her first solo album in August. However, the first time deejay has a few things to learn about her new job. One of them is how to explain things clearly to listeners who are unfamiliar with her brand of music.

CAPITAL jams can be heard on Saturdays and Sundays from 9pm until 1am the next morning. The station, which is operated by ISY Holdings in Kuala Lumpur, can be heard only in the Klang Valley for now on FM88.9MHz.

Meanwhile, we all now know which of the two Davids it was who succeeded in walking away with the coveted American Idol 2008 title last Thursday.

But how about which radio station emerged as the winner for their coverage of the live event in Malaysian?

What an unexpected let down it was for the many of us who had expected Hitz.fm to get the crown. More so as the station had been faithfully running related features on Idols every week since the latest season began.

Most of the other radio stations practically snubbed the event. Hitz.fm, for at least an hour-and-a-half during the live ceremony in Los Angeles, said virtually nothing about Idol or cared to air live audio clips or any latest updates.

Even when the results were finally announced live on TV, it took about 10 minutes before Hitz.fm disclosed it to listeners and everyone knows that is too long a time for radio.

Who Will Win?

PRINT DATE: Wednesday, MAY 21, 2008

Start of Article

T

HE spotlight is not only on but red hot over the next two days.

Who will walk away with the coveted American Idol 2008 title? This is what pop music fans are dying to know this week.

Will it be 17-year old David Archuleta from Murray in Utah?

Or the rugged David Cook from Blue Springs, Missouri, instead who is eight years senior to the baby-faced Archuleta?

The answers will finally be revealed in two culminating live performances scheduled to be telecast from Los Angeles today (finals) and tomorrow (results show).

Kindly check with The Star’s TV page for show-time details.

For those who cannot be by their TV sets during the live broadcasts, take heart.

Hitz.fm is hot on the American Idol trail too.

In fact, ever since this latest Idol show started, the radio station has been running a contest to offer listeners a rare chance to be in Hollywood during the Idol action.

Now the radio station is offering another special again.

In the next couple of days, Hitz.fm listeners will be able to sample some of the notable high and low points of the entire Idol’s seven seasons since it began in 2002.

The feature called “The Best and Worst of American Idol” will be aired throughout the Morning Crew show from 6am to 10am.

Over the next couple of days there will also be ‘live’ crossovers to the Kodak Theatre where the event is transpiring.

Look out also for first-hand reports from Hitz.fm listener, Jeremy Matthew Danker.

He is the winner of the once-in-a-lifetime chance from the station and Star World to be in Hollywood to watch the action unfold.

Danker, 24, from Klang is spending three days in LA along with other extremely lucky Star World winners from The Philippines, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.

Elsewhere, listeners to Bernama’s Radio24 will have noticed some new changes in the radio station this month.

The additions are generally in two programming time belts.

From 7am to 7pm daily, listeners can expect to hear the latest news developments in Malaysia and around the world.

Radio24 has clearly made some progress here. However, some of its news anchors need to urgently liven up their presentation style.

Their pace of introducing news stories is not quick enough when compared to other news broadcasters like Singapore’s 938 LIVE and BBC World Service.

This afternoon, for instance, the female anchor whom I was listening to did not sound motivated at all when she read the news. From her tone of voice it appeared as if the whole exercise was a great chore for her.

The station’s talk shows are aired from 7pm until 7am. When I listened, I noted a distinct difference among the presenters. Some were remarkable in their input and content.

Others, well, not to offend anyone in Radio24, were just plain boring to listen to.

Another weak spot of the round-the-clock broadcaster is its traffic reports. They are read with even poorer quality.

Some of them are so bad that we do not know what is being said.

Witty K6 Gang on 988

Wednesday May 14, 2008

Witty K6 Gang

Air Raves by ANTHONY THANASAYAN

MOST of us who work in offices just cannot wait for the clock to strike five. That is when we at last get to head for home. After that, it is relaxation all the way.

Now, there is no need for the long wait anymore. Not even if you are caught in one of our notorious traffic jams.

All you need to do is have your car stereo tuners switched on. And then, make sure that your radio dials are pointed at 988.

Operated by The Star, the radio station’s current attraction is a team of two deejays called KK and Luke. They host the K6 Gang Show from Monday to Friday (5pm-8pm).

“The witty duo are sometimes mischievous, but almost always quite funny – providing the perfect ingredients to help listeners unwind during their journey home,” said a spokeswoman for 988 last week.

The DJs are also on hand to help listeners solve their boy/girl problems and offer tips on how to finally give your boss the message: “Where’s my pay rise”.

In one recent romantic segment, the guys succeeded in getting a young man to propose to his girlfriend live on the programme.

In order to get the deejays' attention, all you need to do is type and SMS your question to 32733.

Meanwhile, be sure not to miss Friday’s instalment of K6 Gang. Popular Hong Kong singing sensation Eason Chan will be making a live guest appearance at 7pm in the studio.

KK and Luke will take a full one-hour to get all the exciting low-down about Chan direct from the performer himself who has won numerous acclaims including from Time Magazine.

Chan will be quizzed on his upcoming concert next month. He will be asked about other things he has been busy with lately, including his once in a lifetime experience of taking part recently in the Olympic torch run exercise.

Fans can put their questions to the singer during the programme via SMS and send to: 32733.

Finally, last Thursday was World Thalassaemia Day. Few Malaysians knew about it until we tuned in to Bernama’s Radio24.

The station’s broadcast journalist Tan Su Lin, who frequently reports disability stories, presented some interesting insights into the condition.

The brief report included a couple of audio clip interviews from a medical expert and someone who has the condition.

Tan’s report emphasised that support from all quarters was essential for thalassaemics to lead a high quality of life.

Thalassaemia – simply put – is an inherited disease of the blood in which haemoglobin fails to form properly.

AH LEONG THE HANDYMAN

Do you face construction or plumbing problems in your home or office? If yes, then thank God for Fridays! That is the heaven-sent day when a certain Mr Fix It drops by on the Red Breakfast show on Red FM.

Mr Fix It shares with listeners useful ideas and money-saving tips on home renovations, decorations and other related matters.

The segment on the station, operated by The Star, is called Ask Ah Leong. It can be heard immediately after the 8 o'clock morning news.

According to Red FM's morning show producer Audrey Raj, Ah Leong gives listeners the inside story on plumbing each week.

He is also sought after for his tips on how to get around some of the annoying red tape that is usually involved in home and office repairs and construction.

In some of his past segments Leong had helped listeners to identify dishonest contractors.

Then, there was even one rare moment when he received a request from “Queen Elizabeth II” to soundproof Buckingham Palace. (Red Breakfast’s deejay host Will was, of course, the one responsible for his wicked impersonation of Queen E!). I caught Leong’s show last Friday and was most impressed.

Not only is he quite skilled in this subject, he also possesses a unique way of communicating with his listeners.

Leong speaks in Malaysian English. Whilst teachers of English and foreigners may frown at his Manglish, I think his style is refreshing and unique.

What is important really is that Ah Leong manages to get his message across to listeners. His simple – and often amusing style – is also able to effectively dismiss technical and unnecessary jargon related to his profession, which Red wishes to keep secret for some reason until next month.

However, I find that there are too many music breaks during the interview sessions with Leong. To “Ask Ah Leong” a question, listeners can e-mail the show at mail@redbreakfast.com or call 03-4043 1049 when the programme is on.

For traffic jam updates, you can check out Radio 24, which started a new traffic update feature last week.

This is in addition to its current hourly updates on the roads that can be heard during the daytime.

Called the SMART Highway Info on weekdays, listeners will now be further updated on the latest traffic situation at 34 minutes past the hour.

The coverage is from 7am to 7pm.

NOTE: This article ranked at NO 6 under The Star's Most Viewed articles and at No 2 in the Most Emailed area when I logged in.

Wednesday April 23, 2008

Keeping you awake

By ANTHONY THANASAYAN

Listeners in the Klang Valley who have been having trouble keeping awake at night during their graveyard shifts have no problems now, thanks to Capital FM on 88.9FM.

The wee hours of the morning until dawn on weekdays are no longer the drab that it once used to be.

The newest broadcaster launched on Feb 1 this year has been playing rock music to liven up the early morning listening belt as part of its latest attraction.

The source of their joy is Capital FM’s latest DJ addition: Kevin B (aka Kevin Boudville) and his new show On the Edge .

Aired daily from 2am until 6am on weekdays on the 24-hour station, Kevin B manages to quite successfully dish out a great mix of hard, as well as soft and easy-to-listen rock tracks.

Even if you are not a rock fan, you will probably still be drawn in by the daily song features and the DJ's flair.

Kevin B is not only totally at ease with his electronic music machine, but is also warm and friendly to callers.

The only downside is that you have to constantly remind yourself to keep the volume low so as not to wake up your neighbours in your excitement.

Here’s a quick round-up of what listeners can expect from On the Edge:

Mondays: Chart-topping tracks plus Kevin B's personal picks. Psycho by Puddle of Mud, The Pretender by Foo Fighters and Beautiful by Ten Years were among the recent offerings.

Tuesdays: Choice albums played back-to-back, contests and new releases as freebies for listeners.

Wednesdays: Spotlight on local Indie bands such as False Opus, Flop Poppy and OAG.

Thursdays: Revisit old school retro rock from the 60s-80s legends such as Led Zeppelin, Scorpions and Deep Purple.

Fridays: An infotainment hub for the latest news, happenings, gigs and concerts in town.

World famous saxophonist Kenny G was interviewed on the telephone for about 10 minutes by Red FM’s Will and Shaz on Monday last week on the Red Breakfast show.

The interview, although brief, revealed some interesting facts about the musician.

These included Kenny G will be staging a concert at Arena of Stars, Genting Highlands this Saturday; the musician’s love affair with the sax started when he was 10 years old; and if he had not chosen a saxophone, it would have been a trumpet.

Finally, Tamil New Year on April 13 saw THR Raaga announcers Maran, Meena, Nisha and Revathy in the streets of Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. The deejays were distributing Indian sweets to passers-by.

Much to their surprise, a bus suddenly pulled over next to them.

They were after the treats too after the driver had heard about what they were up to on the radio.

NOTE: This article was listed at NO 6 under THE MOST VIEWED in The Star and at NO 1 under THE MOST EMAILED.

SPREADING HEALTHY MESSAGE BY ANTHONY THANASAYAN, AIR RAVES, THE STAR

It's very encouraging that local radio stations are showing concern and responsibility by airing programmes related to health issues. Programmes on health and disability dominated the airwaves on at least two radio stations last week.

World Parkinson’s Day (WPD) on April 11 was a major highlight on the Bernama News Agency’s radio station, Radio24. The round-the-clock broadcaster from Kuala Lumpur featured a live interview with neurologist Dr Norlinah Mohamed Ibrahim last Wednesday.

Celebrity health and fitness expert Kevin Zahri revealed interesting tips on ERA FM.

Aired for two hours from 8pm, the doctor spoke at length about the medical aspects of the disease. Parkinson’s disease (PD), incidentally, is a progressive and degenerative condition of the nervous system. Her talk was conducted in Bahasa Malaysia.

Whilst the programme did its part to raise some public awareness about PD, I thought that there was too much focus on the disease and its negative effects. My concern was that some of the cold medical facts that were disclosed on the show might have unwittingly frightened away some listeners.

But Radio24 had more up its sleeve. Things were much better the next day, when the station conducted another live interview with a PD patient and caregiver. The speakers were from the top brass of the Malaysian Parkinson Disease Association in Kuala Lumpur (MPDA).

The studio guests spoke candidly about their real life experiences. Their ultimate message: There is life after Parkinson’s!

Earlier in the morning for WPD, Radio24’s correspondent Tan Su Lin presented an excellent and timely pre-recorded report on PD and what it was all about. The brief segment lasted about five minutes. It featured audio clips from the same guest neurologist and Sara Lew, president of the 14-year old MPDA.

Meanwhile, celebrity health and fitness expert Kevin Zahri was ERA FM’s live guest for World Health Day on April 7. The author of Fitness 24/7 engaged listeners on the Airtime Management and Programming’s BM broadcaster at 8.30am – a most opportune moment to catch rush hour audiences.

Also joined by ERA’s announcers Nana, Kieran and Adi on the Pagi@ERA show, Kevin revealed interesting tips on how listeners could effectively manage their health and fitness to suit our Malaysian lifestyles.

Touching on favourite foods such as nasi lemak and teh tarik, for instance, the health and fitness adviser pointed out that our love for such food and drinks should not serve as an excuse for anyone for not keeping healthy and fit. The morning discussion with Kevin on Pagi@Era proved to be a lively and fun topic for everyone.

Here are a couple of great tips that Kevin offered to listeners on how not only to keep their tummies trim, but also to help keep one awake and alert all day.

Rice – As a general rule, the ideal serving should be the size of one’s fist regardless of the size of the person.

Stairs – Use them in place of lifts. It always makes a difference!

Wednesday April 9, 2008

Game creator and more

By ANTHONY THANASAYAN

Rush hour morning listeners who tuned in to Red Breakfast show on Red FM were treated to some interesting guests and curious topics last week.

The FM station operated by The Star conducted an interview on Friday with Shane Walters, one of the creators of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider game.

Then it was the turn for two stress management foreign professors in the studio to share some of their insights into how one could effectively de-stress oneself from modern day stress factors such as those caused by Facebook and TV show American Idol.

“Sexy pharmacists” was the morning chat topic on Thursday on the weekdays show aired from 6am to 10am.

Local celebrities Harith Iskander and Ida Nerina played temporary hosts on Wednesday in a segment of the Red Breakfast with regulars Will and Shaz.

The start of the weekday on Monday featured wedding company DreamWorks’ specialists giving out ideas to listeners on how to plan their dream wedding for just under RM10,000.

However, Tuesday was really the highlight of the week. Astrologer Madam Zorra who could foretell the future simply by reading people’s faces and their birth dates helped to dispel any dark clouds in the lives of listeners that morning.

Red FM invited them to e-mail or SMS in their birth dates – including a picture of themselves if they could – so that Madam Zorra could reveal some of their secrets on the live broadcast.

A pretty risky thing, if you ask me. However, Shaz sportingly not only offered to have her predictions read on the air, but also asked Zorra to read her children’s future as well.

A foreigner listening in from Italy via the Internet also sent in his picture and birthday details to Zorra who promptly read out his predictions to him.

As for Shaz, all I can recall Zorra saying about the deejay was that she is a “volatile” and “difficult to handle” person.

Nonetheless, Red FM did good with Madam Zorra who captivated listeners.

Let’s hope that this can become a regular feature on the radio station to make our mornings interesting.

Madam Zorra, by the way, was also an excellent speaker and not microphone-shy at all.

Tuesday also happened to be April Fool’s day. I was tuned in from dawn hoping to hear some pranks for the day – or at least stories about it – on our broadcasters but there was nothing on it.

Apart from the usual pranks played by Hitz.fm’s JJ and Rudy in their Gotcha segments, there was nothing done specifically for April 1.

Having said that, however, one of the Gotcha segments was truly hilarious.

One of the announcers rang up a divorce lawyer and pretended that he was having a fight with his wife at home at that very moment, with the sound of glass breaking in the background.

The special-effects was created by one of the Morning Crew deejays. The announcer on the telephone with the lawyer did some great acting on his part. As for the lawyer, he was amazingly cool throughout the conversation.