Top radio operator looks beyond India as pandemic stalls growth

Entertainment Network India Ltd., India’s top operator of radio stations, is exploring markets like the Middle East and U.S. for growth as a slowing economy and the coronavirus pandemic dents prospects at home.

Enil, which runs 73 FM stations under the ‘Mirchi’ brand, has won a radio license from Bahrain’s information ministry, Chief Executive Officer Prashant Panday said on an earnings call this week. For the year ended March, the company earned $1 million in revenue from its U.S. app, which mainly plays Bollywood music in New York and New Jersey.

“We will be able to launch Mirchi in Bahrain and operate for five years,” Panday said. It would be cheaper than operating in India as the government doesn’t require a license fee and provides studio facilities, he added.