PESHAWAR, Aug 5: The newly-launched FM101 transmission by Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, Peshawar Centre, is receiving enthusiastic response from the people, specially those living in urban areas of the province.

Launched on June 22, the transmission of FM101 has proved has proved a source of entertainment. At present the transmissions remain on air from 9am to 11pm covering five elements i.e., patriotism, tourism, national economy, environment and sports. Given the popularity of the transmissions, the radio officials are trying to increase its duration in a couple of months.

The pretty decorated and digital FM101 studio is manned by 35 people. The FM channels were commissioned on experimental basis from Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi in October 1998. Following its launching, the PBC received a positive response from the listeners, particularly young people.

A landmark achievement was made on February, 2001 when the entire FM101 system was converted into FM International which enabled the listeners in 52 countries across the world to listen the programmes being aired by the new channel on its website.

The FM channels were launched from Faisalabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Hyderabad on March 1, 2002, June 22, July 6 and July 14, respectively.

Since its inauguration at Peshawar, the FM101 has been providing entertainment to the people living within the radius of 200 kilometres with the help of 2kw transmitter.

The transmissions are being heard by the people Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Hangu, Buner, Karak, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Swat, Malakand, Dir, Tarbela, Attock and all the tribal areas.

Programme Manager of the FM101, Sardar Ali told Dawn that listeners’ requests could be fulfilled within five to seven seconds.

According to him they had stored thousands of English and Urdu tracks in computers and FM101’s music libraries.

According to FM101 compare Suhail Rehman though they aired numerous stuff but 90 per cent of the people, half of them women, demanded for new Urdu songs. The transmissions, he said started from Subh-bakhair which is followed by Pyaara Pakistan, Lunch Time Special, Sadda-i-Sur, Drive Time Special, Music Masti, Music Zone (English) and Shab-i-Bakhair.