By Khalid Fadzillah

Johan and Zahid Join Leading Malay Radio Station's Line-Up

ERA FM is stepping up its game with the introduction of two fresh new announcers lined up according to their respective segments. Funny man Johan will be taking over the morning session while Zahid, the talented winner of Akademi Fantasia year 2, is scheduled to set the tempo for you on the road.

Both hosts will bring their individual uniqueness and styles to complement the overall tone of ERA FM's current programme structure. Johan, who will be on air from 6am to 10am, presents a humorous style which appeals largely to the younger generation, with an active, dynamic and constantly zany approach to the morning segment. He will front the JoHaRa Pagi show, along with regulars Haniff & Ray.

Aimed at capturing the attention of listeners on their way to work or school by keeping them entertained with interesting subjects, the hosts will also maintain a high level of interactivity, engaging willing participants with games and stunts. Listeners will be invited to call in or send an SMS related to the topic of the morning.

"Teka Bunyi ERA", an exciting game where callers are required to guess what sound is being played, will happen twice a day while "Can I Help U?" a popular ERA segment will have Haniff acting as an English speaking foreigner who pranks unknowing listeners with poor English speaking skills. Apart from radio games, shows like "Ceciter, Ceciter" allow announcers to chat casually with listeners on different topics, or even interview various artists of the day. Johan will take the stage with daily comedy sketches based on general topics about Malaysia in his "Sketsa Johan" session. Listeners can also look forward to a daily dose of gossip in Gossip Mossip and Berita Artis Top 5, another upcoming new segment.

Zahid on the other hand, offers a set of specific skills in contrast to Johan's whacky approach. Zahid possesses an interesting arsenal of tricks and talents developed from his extensive experience as a performer and presenter. From 4pm to 8pm, Zahid and co-host Adifashla will deliver laid back sessions encompassing entertaining games and a diversity of exciting topics. The announcers skim through a list of the best or funniest statuses on Facebook and Twitter in "5 Status Terbaik". In "Pasang Telinga", the announcers listen to a phone tapped conversation between 2 callers on a topic and surprise them. These are just some of the exciting activities ERA FM has in store for its fans.

A Brighter ERA for Radio

The radio business is a booming industry and with millions of target listeners to focus on, competition is expectedly rife. Considering these facts, ERA FM continues to develop and grow in influence and popularity, especially among the local Malay crowd. The station has come a long way from its humble beginnings, having charmed its way into a vast listenership with its unique and relevant programming as well as its series of entertaining gigs and events.

Jake Abdullah, aka ‘Jakeman', has been working vigorously as the Chief Content Officer of AMP, providing the means necessary to effectively string entire operations together. Coordinating the constant flow of programmes and content throughout the various departments of AMP, Abdullah has successfully discovered the favoured tastes and preferences of ERA FM's targeted audience. He does not believe in categorising consumers by a specific demographic, instead he prefers to address the listeners in general as a whole, though programmes are designed to filter the fans out from the crowd with content that appeals to a younger generation.

TH Chong, Chief Commercial Officer, the man in charge of the sales department has recently had his corporate responsibilities extended into other functions. With a shift in the reporting system, he also manages marketing and integration. TH Chong brings youthful energy to the management team with his optimistic, vibrant and easy going attitude. Encouraging constant brainstorming sessions across the various departments and with clients, he believes in mixing it up a little to get those creative juices flowing. The Malay segments of the radio industry have grown crowded with competition, he agrees, but it also pushes ERA FM forward, bringing out the station's optimal performance. This healthy process is what keeps ERA FM afloat and on top.

Over the last 16 years, the majority of Malay listeners have gradually superseded most other factions of the local radio industry, with content quality of today's radio getting stronger overall. Through this shift, Malay-oriented stations may expect a soar in ratings and overall activity. Currently, ERA FM attracts over 3.55 million listeners as a whole. The expansion of its influence relies heavily on the content that fills the various segments because in today's world, consumers follow and stay loyal to brands for what they can offer.