MUMBAI: Entertainment Network (India) Ltd. (ENIL) has signed up with Shri Puran Multimedia Ltd. (SPML) as a partner to provide sales and support across eight cities.

Radio Mirchi (ENIL) and the recent entrant in the radio space Radio Mantra (SPML), have come together as strategic partners, whereby, ENIL would assist SPML in identifying opportunities to secure national advertisers for its radio stations.

Under the aegis of this recent alliance, ENIL would sell Radio Mantra’s air time across its stations in Agra, Varanasi, Bareily, Jalandhar, Gorakhpur, Ranchi, Karnal and Hissar, through its sales team. ENIL would garner national advertising support for SPML radio stations in the mentioned cities on an exclusive basis, at a mutually agreed upon rate card. The alliance does not cover local and sales for Radio Mantra, which will be handled independently by SPML.

ENIL deputy CEO Prashant Panday says, “The strategic alliance is reflective of a new trend that promises to drive the radio business for the future. Such alliances would be a key precursor for future success for many companies — and not just those in the radio sector. We can accomplish more this way than by working in isolation. The alliance might raise some eyebrows because in a lot of ways the two companies are competitors. But we believe that, our advertisers would benefit by getting the best of both worlds: national reach and local relevance.”

SPML director, radio projects Rahul Gupta adds, “The alliance between the two companies is unusual because for the first time two radio broadcasters have come together to share resources, at the same time allowing each side to maintain its independence from the other. By virtue of its first mover advantage, Radio Mirchi already enjoys a leadership status in the industry and has effectively created successful partnerships with all the leading advertisers in the country. They have an extensive client base, with all kinds of advertisers across industries – FMCG, auto, consumer durables, retail, apparel, IPOs, already using the medium.”