Dino Ali turns up the volume

RJ who now works for BBC radio says only fresh talent can help Pakistani radio stations get over redundant programming

KARACHI:

For a better part of the previous decade Video Jockeys (VJ) and Radio Jockeys (RJ) in Pakistan were recognised as the voice of the youth. Since they had broken away from the rather monotonous style of presenting which had been there for years, they injected much needed flair and vigour into the art.

One such person who can be credited for this is Dino Ali who rose to fame with his stints on music channels such as Indus Music (later on MTV Pakistan) but was equally impressive with his work on radio.

The VJ-turned-singer-turned-RJ who now works as a TV and radio presenter for BBC in UK, spoke to The Express Tribune about the factors that contributed to radio’s decline in Pakistan.



Between 2002 and 2007 Pakistani radio was on a rise but according to the multitalented presenter it was, “the lack of creativity and the need to copy what everyone else is doing” that inadvertently led to its decline.

He elaborated stating, “When I started out as an RJ I had my own style and wasn’t being pretentious. Later, I discovered that there were 3 to 4 guys on other networks copying my style and humour.”

Ali lamented the fact that instead of asking RJs to produce original and creative content they encouraged such practices. He explained this by using the analogy of an “original iPhone and a China iPhone”. “Both may be a source of enjoyment for you but the lower quality product will at one point of time ruin the market,” said the BBC presenter.

Ali who also has an album against his name reasoned that the emergence of  iPods did somewhat “stunt” the growth of the medium but went on to add that radio as a medium can never lose popularity and that “we need to devise a new plan of action” to revive it.

The Pari singer had an interesting view on advertising as he was of the opinion that “advertising is the bread and butter of the station” but believed that rather than overdoing it, producers should adopt a more balanced approach.



“If you listen to international radio stations especially Capital FM in the UK the way they balance talk time with ads is amazing. As it does not take away the RJs ability to drive the show and simultaneously allows for music to be played and ads to be broadcasted. Therefore, all we need for is a better strategy,” remarked Ali.

The RJ has always looked up to the work of BBC radio presenter Bobby Friction but says that Pakistani radio jockeys such as Beenish Khan and Naveen Waqar were equally impressive.

To a question about whether radio in Pakistan lost its edge due to the fact that it became a medium more for the masses rather than for a niche audience he answered that radio has always been a medium for the larger audience segments. “It was only with the introductions of such stations (FM 96, FM 89, FM 91) that the market changed slightly but I think it’s a good thing that we have these different stations that appeal to different audiences,” exclaimed Ali.

The former MTV Pakistan VJ requested radio producers to “stop hiring or giving chances to kids who just want to imitate and not create. The more we encourage such copycat behavior the more we lose out on talent which is actually good for the industry and believe me there is no shortage of talent in Pakistan. It’s just about providing an opportunity to the right people.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd,  2014.

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