How an Indian Radio Show Created a Community of Young Radio Listeners

By the end of 1970, abundant young people moved from the rural states of India to more commercially developed and culturally relaxed urban states like West Bengal, Maharashtra and New Delhi to gain employment. This meant a quick change in the demographic and hence the culture. For strangers, one way to find kinship in a new place was the radio. Yuva Vani employed young radio jockeys that exclusively played music that was popular in youthful communities.

Studio of Yuva Vani at AIR. Image source: Hindustan Times

It is hard to think about a time when thousands of people would listen to the same song playing on a certain radio station collectively, given how music listening culture has changed in the past few decades. Now, with the emergence of streaming services such as Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music and online platforms like Youtube, Amazon Music, and Soundcloud, listeners have the option to listen to whatever they want whenever they want it. This power of selection has changed the way music culture from the mid-twentieth century when people would listen to radio shows altogether creating a kinship among communities and individuals. This can be understood with an example of how a popular radio show known as the ‘Yuva Vani’ created a tight-knit community of youths in India.

Late one evening in the summer of 1969, Noreen Naqvi was appointed as the director general of All India Radio, and she decided to start a new channel directed towards the youth of the country, the first youth-centric radio station of India. She chose a lineup of miscellaneous artists like theatre actor Sunit Tandon, quizmaster Siddhartha Basu, and many more. Shortly thereafter, the channel had a name: Yuva Vani. Yuva Vani focused on several issues affecting Indian youth, particularly those involving generational conflicts, professional decisions, and personality development. This radio programme highlighted the value of radio as one of the most effective and educational media platforms for assisting the nation's children. Rita Mukherjee was a trailblazing broadcaster of AIR's Yuv creatorVani. On July 21, 1969, AIR established Yuva Vani, a special youth programme. By addressing previously forbidden, delicate subjects and by utilising a participative message design technique, it set new standards. Numerous times, Yuva Vani served as a voice for youth but also succeeded in becoming a gathering place and training ground for them.

A radio jockey at Yuva Vani. Image source: India Times

The project identified urgent issues and looked into potential solutions using the real voices of the target audience, their parents, and professionals. In the past, radio held a position that was virtually as dominant as today's social media platforms and commercial broadcasting channels. Mukherjee claimed in an interview that Yuva Vani "soon became a way of life for listeners." Rita Mukherjee, Avik Ghosh, and Noreen Naqvi were the trinity who oversaw the English division during its heyday. The participatory method used in the conception, production, and implementation of this radio programme in India was highlighted by the process. 

Before Yuva Vani, there were hardly any other radio stations in India that were not only broadcasting Hindi music but also speeches, interviews and talk shows from prominent young personalities, however, it was this particular station from All India Radio that led to the revolution of participatory message-centric radio shows. It changed the format of youth-centric radio shows as they were made relatable and humorous. What the hosts of Yuva Vani did was not just play the music that was popular at the time, but added his personality helping the listeners connect more. Instead of traditional Indian music, they played Western music that was suitable for the audience tuning in either in the mornings or evenings. The songs, interviews and impromptu discussions became the new evening routine that everyone listened to wind down. This is how a small radio show changed the format of radio broadcasting in India.