Friday, August 11, 2006

Hey DJ keep playin' that song...

Sometimes, the most familiar things are the most jarring to you when you're in a foreign setting.

Take, for instance, the debut of 95 FM in Delhi -- a new radio station apparently run by Clear Media (is it in any way connected to Clear Channel Communications?) that has taken the capital by storm. Used to blocking the sounds of filmi pop during my commute, I was shocked out of my Hemingway-induced bliss by the enchanting sounds of Shakira's disgustingly ubiquitous hit, which involves the truth of the gyrations of one's body parts.

That's right, Delhi now has a radio station that brings together the latest formulaic "music" of the day, Hindi or English. And I for one couldn't be more uncomfortable. I move 10,000 miles from home hoping for some relief from that cheery, chipper American patois reminding me of their non-stop hits, only to find -- little more than a year after my exodus -- the haunting echo of the Z100 Morning Zoo.

Ew.

(Consequently, I did some research; Clear Media appears to be a Chinese outdoor advertising firm, of which the majority stake is owned by Clear Channel. So I thought.)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

well the issue is that you are compairing HIT 95 FM (which i think is a REFRESHING CHANGE)to the stations in the UK. Now think about the ppl of delhi who are sick of listening to chammiya hindi (Bollywood) music on all the sttaion here.... Isn't this what they have been wanting??? for the ppl who MIND non stop GREAT music there are 3-4 options.... Rest of us LOVE HIT 95 FM!!!! what say Delhi???