An alternative spectrum

IT’S BEEN UP and running for just five months but already new online music station You Love has become a powerful social media entertainment tool. The pull comes not just from the entertainment but the fact that the station allows listeners to communicate and interact with their favourite disc jockey from anywhere and at anytime.

“We call it an online radio and television station, because it can transmit images and sounds,” says DJ Theethanat “Noze” Jattanont, the director of the online music station.

“What makes us different from other FM radio stations is that listeners can also look at what the DJ is doing during his time on the air and also chat directly with him on their smartphones through our mobile application. You Love is much more than mere entertainment.”

As an online radio and video provider, You Love offers a variety of music – mainly Thai hits but also sounds from America, Europe and Asia – many of them accompanied by video clips.

“Today the smartphone is the fifth most important item in a person’s life. If you feel stressed and want to relax with a friendly voice, you can click on our website and just listen to the DJ. Or you can enter our You Love link and communicate and interact with your favourite DJ,” Noze says.

For the online broadcasts, Noze and DJ Mon, aka Jiruntanin Loawmasuvapan, have teamed up with eight new talents: Akarachai Issarachaiwong (DJ Yorin), Waridsara Cheadchukreadkong (DJ May), Patcharakan Sriphiphat (DJ Up), Jamjuree Jangsuan (DJ Lookpla), Pawinwat Suparojniphatkul (DJ Pom), Sirapob Kaewmak (DJ Tetay), Nunthawat Sakkayathanasith (DJ Bas), and Sasithorn Ruabratana (DJ Aey). The youngsters were the winners of the “DJ Search Battle 2014” contest, beating more than 700 applicants from all over the country in the screen test, audition and battle rounds. Fans voted both through SMS and the Web, and DJ Yorin was named the winner despite only having tried out his DJ chops for one month.

“Most DJs are selected based on good looks and good programming but in our case, the selection was also down to the way they came across on the social media. They are also net idols and will be a driving force for You Love,” says Noze. 

“Our DJs have their different personalities and characters so there’s something to suit everybody.”

“For the video part, we had our production team produce 10- to 15-minute video clips and present these when the DJs are on the air. The proportion of content is 70-per-cent music and 30-per-cent video clips, which cover everything from talk shows, sports and news as well as their individual skills and abilities. Some DJs have different talents like cooking or playing sports. It gives something extra to the fans,” he adds.

An experienced veteran of the entertainment circle, Noze has worked for FM 94.5, hosted a TV programme, and served as an instructor for Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya’s “To Be Number One” campaign.

“Our strength comes from having standard and fully-equipped on-air studios and good quality DJs, just like other FM radio stations. Many of those have now been closed down, which is why people have turned to their smartphones. And we can do so much more on the smartphone than sell happiness through music.

After five months of experimenting with broadcast operations, You Love was recently officially launched at an event held at the Amari Watergate Hotel.

“These days we have 100,000 users logging in and out every day. Every time our DJs do a programme, they will promote themselves through their Instagram and Facebook so everybody can see them. Now, with the official launch of our online music station You Love, we expect to increase to 500,000 users within this year,” Noze says.

“In addition to our music and video content, we will cooperate with sponsors to organise activities or fun games and distribute such prizes as gift vouchers to our listeners. We also intend to develop a barter system with many products,” Noze continues.

“We’ve kept an eye on our success levels by checking the number of users every day. Income from sponsors depends on user figures. I firmly believe that social media will continue to have an even bigger impact on people’s daily lives,” says Noze, adding that the online music station now intends promoting its mobile application at the educational institutions countrywide and searching for new talent.

 

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You have to register to listen to You Love. For details, check www.VdoMax.com/@youlove.