“New things are always scary. Exciting and energizing, but scary.”
That was xFM president and CEO Raymund Miranda in his speech during the recent launch of local radio’s newest chill-out station 92.3 xFM at The Fort’s NBC Tent.
Raymund heads the new team appointed on January 1 of this year to manage the radio network owned by Nation Broadcasting Corp. (NBC). Following that, an intensive research was conducted to profile the 18 to 39-year-old-demographic. Together with this, various research data from all over the world were brought to bear on the thinking of the team as they began plans for the new station format.
The team decided to target a psychographic profile rather than just a demographic based on the research they had. The choice of downtempo as the over arching genre of music surfaced — catering to listeners who just want to escape from the frenzy of life, try new things, work and play hard while keeping abreast with the world and be a step ahead of the rest.
“Downtempo has been around for a long time — 25 maybe even 30 years,” said Al Torres, xFM managing director. “It is a sound that has been labeled electronica, ambient, new jazz, lounge, acid jazz, chill out, trip hop… even new age. Its very nature defies definition because it is constantly evolving… mutating. And it will continue to do so — like a living organism. This is why we call ourselves xFM. X… the unknown variable… a station whose center is its audience, whose aim is to be a mirror of its audience at any given time. xFM is an experience, a lifestyle, an attitude.”
But is the audience ready for a new niche of underground and alternative music? “We’re playing music that has been around for over 30 years,” Raymund said. “We hear the music in commercials, movies (like American Beauty and Cruel Intentions), soundtracks of TV series (such as House, Grey’s Anatomy and 4400), clubs, bars, even ring tones, so it isn’t really underground, neither is it alternative. We hear this kind of music everywhere but never in one single place on FM in Mega Manila, until today.”
Raymund and his team, however, are undaunted despite the change. “We’re attempting new things… well, not actually,” he said. “We’re also going back to basics. Nothing really new about good programming, nothing really new with good music, nothing really new with creative presentation. So not as scary.”
The new sound of xFM kicked off on Easter Sunday, which is “always a good day to begin, given that it is a day that also celebrates new life and beginnings,” said Al. “So far, the team has been pleased with the warm response and favorable feedback they’ve received from listeners through phone calls, SMS, e-mails, phone calls and blogs.
“We are challenged with the ability of the music to bring peoples from different age groups and backgrounds together — a rallying point for a nascent community… a gathering storm, a culture on the rise,” Al added.
The relaunch of 92.3, according to Al, entailed a lot of time, effort and research — the result of a team that has rallied behind a vision — to bring back to the FM band which listeners have been looking for… good music.
“It is the result of bringing resources and thought behind building not just a sound, but a brand… and an experience. It is the result of the collective experience of over 90 years in the radio industry both here and overseas. It is the result of a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of energy, a lot of passion for the craft that is radio,” Al said.
“We found a pent-up demand among listeners who had deserted the FM band,” Raymund explained. “They wanted a unique sound, they wanted to listen to music again and they were again looking to radio to be the music expert it used to be in the past.”
During its recent launch, xFM treated its guests to an incredible musical party experience, Rise. An Experience By 92.3 xFM. Guests experienced the kind of sound that xFM dishes out — chill-out and house, sprinkled with a mix of indie and classic downtempo music from the past.
Providing live, world-class, quality entertainment during the event were promising bands like Drip, Tribu Manila and the group of Star In A Million finalist Nico Maca.
For guests present during the affair, Rise redefined what partying is all about, at the same time, it gave people a glimpse of how 92.3 xFM will revolutionize the listening habit of Filipinos.
“Today is about change and you’re all a part of it. Today is about celebrating change… and new things,” Raymund said.
At present, 92.3 xFM is in partnership with some of the biggest international brands of the genre. Raymund announced that 92.3 xFM is now the official and exclusive broadcaster of Ministry of Sound Radio based in London.
Starting this month, xFM will air six hours of syndicated radio shows of Hed Kandi, Ministry of Sound Chill-Out, Ministry of Sound Session and Ministry of Sound Dance Party, giving listeners the best of chill-out, house, trip hop and dance, hosted by the world’s biggest DJs.
92.3 xFM is also the official and exclusive broadcast partner of the Radio 360 show, making it the very first station in the world to carry the said program on the FM band. Radio 360 is one of the most downloaded podcasts on iTunes and is currently ranked as the No. 5 downloaded podcast on iTunes, averaging about 8,000 downloads a week.
Moreover, 92.3 xFM is also the exclusive broadcast partner of Defected in the House Radio, the fastest rising record label in the world specializing in 21st century disco, hi-energy soul, classic uplifting house.