At Everlasting Radio, inspiration is as much a part of the programming as the music. The new radio station, which airs on 97.0 FM is very different from anything else out there, says Mahmood Ulhaq, the man in charge of their commercial operations. They’re experimenting with content – from cooking sessions with well-known chefs to political tête-à-têtes, they’ll cover the spectrum. Listeners can also look forward to shows such as Colombo Diary which fills out the city’s event calendar and a range of health centric shows. “It serves the purpose of the MJF vision,” says Mr. Ulhaq, explaining that the radio station is in fact a natural extension of the work of the MJF Foundation.
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| Mahmood Ulhaq. Pix by Saman Kariyawasamw |
Everlasting Radio is a part of the MJF Media network which belongs to the MJF Group, established by Merrill J. Fernando. His company Dilmah is best known as one of the most successful in the tea industry, but Mr. Fernando’s son Dilhan says that as their profits have grown so has their determination to make a positive contribution to Sri Lankan society. Accordingly, the Foundation now pours millions into CSR programmes. Working with children is particularly rewarding: Dilhan believes that by changing one life for the better, they create a ripple effect that is passed down through generations.
“It’s completely a reflection of my father’s philosophy,” he says, because this is also the story of his own family. “One of the motivational factors is that my father came from a very poor background and had no special education or privileges and it was through his vision and hard work that he has achieved what he has,” says Dilhan, explaining that these stories have led them to all wonder what makes it possible for some to succeed, while others never manage to conquer their circumstances. “What we discovered is that a lack of knowledge can trap people,” he says. This is why the new radio station has inspiration as part of its mandate.
Though it was launched in English, Sinhala and Tamil stations are soon to follow. These will be tailored to the needs of regional communities, says Dilhan. They’ll be focusing on providing practical information as well. “It’s not glamorous,” Dilhan says. “We’re not a radio station that sets the world on fire, but we want to set their world on fire.”
They’ve already had a small trial run – an FM station in their tea estate featured a panel of doctors answering questions was a success and the Foundation now sees Everlasting Radio as just an extension of that. “We want to speak to the people on their terms,” says Dilhan. On the Everlasting Radio premises there’s also a centre for children with Cerebral Palsy and Dilhan says raising awareness on behalf of the children so afflicted is sure to be a part of the station’s goals. “The idea is to address multiple social issues but to do it in a unique format.’
Intent on making sure that listeners are thoroughly entertained even while they’re being educated, the station will be pacing themselves very carefully and incorporating a lot of good music into the show. It will be a nice mix of music from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, spanning the genres of Pop, Jazz, Rock, Country, Classical, Blues and Soul. Anchoring the shows are some familiar names and some newcomers. Tune in yourself – you’ll find them on 97 FM on your radio or find it online at www.everlasting.lk . Listeners may also join in for request and dedications through the radio station’s face book page, twitter page and also via the hotline 0117789797 or text line 0777669797. |
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