Radio rainbow

Happenings, Sep '13 (update 2)

Sukhdeep Singh reports on the launch of Q Radio, an online radio channel targeted at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender listeners

Bangalore, September 13, 2013: Q Radio, India’s first radio channel targeted at a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (queer) audience, was launched on September 11, 2013 by Radiowalla.in, a radio station which offers over 30 channels catering to different interests. The channel would be available 24×7 and listeners would be able to access it through a computer or mobile device. The channel offers a mix of information and entertainment, and promises to provide a platform for queer community voices.

Anil Srivatsa, CEO and co-founder of Radiowalla Network Pvt. Ltd., the parent company of Radiowalla.in, said, “One of the main objectives of Radiowalla.in, as a platform, is to cater to special interests of a population not being addressed by mainstream media adequately and that of inclusion of all through the diverse channels offered on this radio platform. I believe that the gay and lesbian population can benefit from a space of their own . . . they are coming out to show the nation that they belong and have to be accepted and it is about time they got a voice of their own in the national discourse.”

Currently, Let’s Get beyond Ties hosted by John and Sandy is an hourly show with segments like WTF, a crazy viewpoint or news story with commentary and banter from India and around the world; Seriously Speaking, a discussion segment on any topic of the day and The Scoop, a newsy segment that highlights nuggets from online magazines. The Happy Hour is a lifestyle segment and When Adam Met Steve is a stand-up comedy offering.

The Heart to Heart with Innersight has counsellors Ajanta De and Mahesh Natrajan available to answer queries from people calling in during the half-hour show. Then there is the imaginatively named HqO that celebrates life stories of queer individuals. Most shows are hosted in English, but the programming also includes Hindi. The radio channel invites participation and feedback from listeners at qradio@radiowalla.in.

Radiowalla.in said it had a mobile app for various mobile platforms through which users would be able to listen to the channel. The company also planned to launch a separate Q Radio app soon. The channel said it had received a good response from the public so far, with people calling in from as far as Amritsar, Chandigarh and Chennai, apart from Bangalore, in the first two days since its launch.

Sukhdeep Singh is a Facebook addict who works as a software engineer by day and transforms into a writer at night. He is the founder and editor of Gaylaxy magazine.