I’ve just been completely enamoured by BFM, I just had to shout
it out loud.
The name ‘The Business Station’ sounds like a stack of boring
paper-cut worthy reports on profit margins or what have you, but
boy is the channel (at 89.9 Mhz) anything but.
I’m almost ashamed I took so long
to latch on to it, but it was pretty much love at first sound bite.
I had heard it mentioned once or twice but my curiosity got piqued
further when fellow columnist and writer Uma described it to me.
Lo and behold, on the very first day I listened to it,
I heard about some podcast-like interviews about derivatives (they
made advice and explanations about rather tolerable for a finance
dunce like me) and other financial subjects which were very
informative and enjoyable.
The interviewers may sound a bit stiff sometimes (although I think it is
somewhat adorable at times too), and their newscasters, bless their
cotton socks, make many boo boos in delivery, but oh what a good
job they are doing overall.
Good Music. And Information. That’s what I like from a radio station.
On both counts BFM delivers big time.
On the first few days I listened, these were the music choices they played.
[And with no irritating adverts (yeah so catch them NOW)]
Pearl Jam, Lemonheads, Soundgarden (rather grunge right? wait up..)
and then Oasis, Radiohead (very Brit innit? wait up..)
then there was (deep breath) ….
Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, Eurythmics, Rolling Stones,
Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix, Velvet Underground and so many other
gems that I could just roll up into a ball of joy and die.
If you know your lagu-lagu (they don’t tell you who and what is
playing), it is an orgasmic musical experience.
And if you don’t, it still sounds pretty damn fine.
Today, mommy and daddykins, I also learned about the Royal
Belum State Park!
Yes, you can imagine me grinning toothily like a 5-year-old while I say
that.
I also learned that our crazy granddaddies went off to the forest to get
a specimen of the Javan Rhino in 1932, shot one, skinned, stuffed
and mounted it up in our museum, only to find out later that it was
Malaysia’s Very. Last. One.
Pause. (Sound of crickets)
Can anyone say Epic Fail?
At the risk of sounding like an acronym junkie, I hereby
declare BFM FTW!
(Note for newbies: ‘For the win’, not the older ‘F*ck the
world’ meaning)
Here’s more about the station from their website:
How It All Began
It was year 1983 and a young Malaysian arrived in London to pursue his further studies. That was where he first found great radio. Capital Radio 95.8, London’s most popular contemporary hit station, LBC, UK’s leading talk radio station and Laser 558, the infamous pirate station broadcasted from a boat in the North Sea, were leaders in their respective niches and provided rich inspiration. Malek Ali kept track of the Malaysian radio scene ever since, watching the birth of Time Highway Radio in 1994, arguably Malaysia’s first attempt at a contemporary hit station. The following year, MEASAT Broadcast Networks (now Astro) announced the launch of six brand new FM stations, bringing to our shores what is known as format radio or radio stations designed for specific demographics. Fast forward to 2008. Malaysian listeners have responded enthusiastically to format radio, Astro achieved tremendous success through the strict application of format radio, its 8 stations now have 67% revenue market share. Media Prima is hot on Astro’s heels with HotFM and Fly FM, whereas Star has made inroads in the radio market with RFM98.8, Red104.9 and Suria. Time Highway Radio, the format pioneer, was pummeled by Astro and retreated to the Indian-language format and is now itself owned by Astro. But format radio, really now in its 14th year, has taken a toll on the quality of the radio conversation. A common complaint of thirty to fifty somethings is that there appears to be nothing intelligent on radio. Radio DJs commonly talk down to their audience. Breakfast show topics are reduced to trivial, inconsequential topics. Many mature listeners wish for the return of the quality conversation along the likes of Radio 4′s Patrick Teoh and Yasmin Yusoff. And this is where BFM steps in.
I’m hoping the station mencapai kejayaan dan kecemerlangan big time but
I also hope that when the advertisers come in they don’t start praying to the
Gods of Mediocre Tunes and dumb themselves down.
I’m all okay with the
Oh Hai I Likes, You Likes, Tee Hee Hee - kinda entertainment,
but I mean come on,
think we have well enough of those.
