The radio evokes different emotions in people today. As technology improves, new platforms have emerged that present alternatives to the radio. But the charm of the radio remains strong among the various sections of society.
The Jewish refugee who composed the signature
AIR tune
The first half of the twentieth century was dominated by the two world wars that upended lives around the world. In Europe, tens of thousands of lives were destroyed. Many were forced to leave that continent and move elsewhere. Some moved to America and other parts and some of them landed in India. Walter Kaufmann was one such refugee who landed in Mumbai. This was in 1934 following Hitler’s invasion of Prague.
He was in India’s city of dreams for fourteen years. However, having come to India, his initial years were not easy. As a trained musician, he was hoping to find takers for his talent, but his initial tryst with Indian music was not without its problems. Undeterred, he founded the Bombay Chamber Music Society within months of his arrival, which performed every Thursday at the Willingdon Gymkhana. From 1936 to 1946, Walter worked at AIR as the director of music, and it was here that he composed the iconic signature tune with noted Indian orchestra conductor Mehli Mehta, who played the violin for it. The tune that generations of Indians grew up listening to was created by a European – proving that music knows no boundaries, and is truly a universal language.
The OHeraldo Jingle
In the mid 90’s after All India Radio began broadcasting FM started in the State, the stations used to look for advertising revenue. One of the stand out tunes was the OHeraldo radio jingle. One of the executives who was present then was Savio Noronha, who is now the Programming Head for Goa Doordarshan, remembers it well. He said it was performed by Remo which meant it created a buzz around the brand. The jingle which went ‘Herald with your coffee, Herald with your tea, stay informed with the Herald, you see’ - a catchy phrase highlighting the newspaper's presence in daily life, often played with a light, upbeat tune caught the mood of the time. Savio said, “Remo is synonymous with creativity and whenever he does something the love for him is shown for the work and the brand benefits. It was on air for around 5 months. The jingle was certainly one for the ages. It was no more than 30 seconds but people still remember it”. The brand he said certainly benefited from that jingle.
The waves still touch the heart
I used to listen to the program ‘Your Favourite’ at 9 pm. I used to write postcards in the early 80’s. Then I switched to FM Rainbow in 1987. The clarity was very good. The radio jockeys were very nice. They did very well and we all had a lot of fun. Today, I use Whatsapp or I call RJs. The show stopped but thankfully it started after a year. Pity it started after Christmas, it would have been nice if it had started before Christmas. That music during the festive period would have been very nice.
Tony Fernandes, Marna-Siolim
When I travel I listen to the radio in the car. I like listening to music but I don't have the freedom to listen to the music that I want. We all used to listen to a lot of radio at home but when it got damaged, it was not repaired. We now also listen to music on Spotify. But yes, the radio still has its charm whenever I listen to it.
Salma Fernandes, Panjim
I don’t listen to the radio regularly but make it a point to listen to music when I am travelling in the car. I am 21 now and doing my masters and it reminds me of the time when I used to spend time with my friends. I like the activity of listening to music when I have the time. You get some good music regularly.
Rachel Rodrigues, Panjim
The love shown by the people is tremendous. It is special for the older generation and we have listeners from 7-70 years. We are now back on prime time and we connect to their lives and it brings joy to them. This is special for the older folk. The music we play is special because they all grew up with this music. I remember the Herald jingle which was very popular. FM was important because it was the only place where they could listen to audio content meant for them. Konkani content was available. It is still relevant for them. Once it went off air, people realised how much they missed it. This was relevant for the older generation. They knew the time for Kantara, the Konkani play etc. But now things are back. Radio plays a big part especially when you are driving as our music is loved because it connects people to old memories.
RJ Oreena Vaz, Porvorim