There’re truckers in Des Moines
All there to keep me company in the early morn.
A world unknown to daytime is forever going on
The airwaves of the nation between midnight and the dawn.[break]
Late night radio, I take it everywhere I go.
My best friend when I’m lonely is my late night radio.
– From “Late Night Radio” by John Denver
But it’s much more than that at Kathmandu’s radio stations and their nocturnal hours.
The radio station of Kantipur FM 96.1 in Jawalakhel is abuzz with phone calls every Friday at 11 PM. They are not request calls for songs but individuals willing to confess their deep, dark secrets.
Although it has only been around four months since its “Confessions” was aired, the live platform is already creating a niche of its own.
“I take around five calls during the show and more than a dozen off air,” says Rajesh Pandey, the host of the program.
Lovers’ quarrels, crushes, marriage disputes and lifelong frustrations are all revealed here, uncensored.
“As individuals, most of us are caught up in the past, and disappointments keep on piling in our lives as we move on. Through the program, we aim to reduce that burden,” he explains.
Since many phone calls revolve around crushes and love proposals, Pandey is often requesting listeners to confess other issues as well.
And so, other shocking revelations are also exposed by callers. They don’t hesitate in confirming their names and problems. The host has a list of moving confessions to share but mentions one in particular that touched him.
“A caller from Itahari confessed that he had been entangled in land and property disputes with his uncle throughout his life, but now he wanted to make peace,” he shares.
~~~~~
Airing through Radio Filmy 101.8 is another innovative program called “Showtime.” Every Tuesday, it features an old Hindi movie from 9 to 12 PM, and a recent release on Friday.
“The program has been running for more than two years now, and we uphold the theme of the radio station by presenting films on airwaves,” says Ajita Singh, RJ at the station.
From old Hindi classics like Sawanki Ghata, Silsila, Dil Tera Diwana, and Kashmirki Kali to new releases like Three Idiots and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, the program has featured it all.
~~~~~
While “Showtime” caters to movie buffs, “Shruti Sambeg,” aired on Ujyalo 90 FM network every Tuesday and Friday from 9:10 to 10 PM, nourishes the needs of Nepali literature connoisseurs.
Achyut Ghimire has been running the show for 12 years now. His captivating voice has read out more than 60 Nepali novels and double the number of short stories.
The program has also been archived in a blog, created by Kumar Pudasaini, an ardent listener when he was studying at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand.
It also allows individuals to download the programs. Ghimire currently runs the blog and is reading out “Sumnima,” the highly acclaimed novel by Bishweswar Prasad Koirala , in his program.
~~~~~
If literature is not your cup of tea but your ears crave for Hindi songs during the night, then Times FM 90.6 is the station to tune in to. Seven days a week, the station broadcasts “Request Hour” from 9 to 10 PM. Listeners can call the station and request any Hindi song of their choice.
“The Request Hour has been running for the last six years, and it’s very popular among our listeners. We take in around 12 requests everyday,” says Ashim Shrestha, production manager at the radio station.
~~~~~
For late sleepers, “Mix Melody” is another respite. It presents a blend of Nepali and Hindi songs everyday after 11 PM to midnight, and is broadcast on the same airwaves as above.
“We aim to play melodious music during the night. It suits the solemn environment of those hours,” adds Shrestha.
~~~~~
Kala Subba, RJ at Hits FM 91.2, agrees and says, “Night is the time when people want to relax. They want to take a break from the humdrum of their daily routines and feel free.”
She aims to do just that with her program called “Sparsa,” aired every Friday from 10 to 11 PM. Subba discusses philosophy and the mysteries of dreams, at the same time handing out health and beauty tips to listeners.
“I find the audience of nighttime radio to be more intellectual. They are the ones who discard their TV sets to tune in,” she says.
Pandey of Kantipur FM adds, “The radio audience at other times of the day might forget the hosts but nighttime radio hosts and listeners share a special bond. We’re closer to their inner selves.”
Related story
7th World Radio Day being marked today
