Having recently stepped into a larger leadership role, Hrishikesh Kannan (Hrishi K), national brand head - Radio One India Network, and branded client solutions and IPs head West and South - HT Media Radio (Fever FM, Radio Nasha, Radio One), spoke to Manifest on balancing creative thinking with his new business role, measurement metrics, decongesting ads, and more.

Kannan transitioned into a revenue-focused role three years ago, and now works on integrated client strategies, offering brands more than traditional advertising by combining audio, video, digital, and event-based content.

Reflecting on the dual role that spans content creation and business strategy, he stated, "Balancing both requires time management, and it is really about challenging oneself. I feel blessed because I get to do what I am truly passionate about, which is the art of being on the mic in the mornings, and then I get into the new career path. Radio jockeying is not even work for me - it’s pure love and passion."

In an era dominated by streaming, Kannan highlighted radio’s continued importance, citing its localised, curated, and ambient nature as key to its survival. "The beauty of radio is that it’s an ambient listening medium, and one can just play it and continue doing other stuff. So, the radio will always survive with streaming sites. There is room for both," he asserted.

Kannan also addressed a long-standing criticism of radio - the clutter of advertisements and shared a forward-thinking approach to tackle it. "While streaming services rely on subscriptions, radio is free-to-air and dependent on advertising revenue. But we don’t have to stick to the old model of cramming ads into breaks. Instead, we’re encouraging brands to integrate their messaging into content,” he explained.

By reducing the number of traditional ads and embedding brand stories within programming — such as through sponsored segments or expert-led discussions, Kannan shared radio can retain listeners while still delivering value to advertisers.

Read the full chat with Kannan in the October issue of Manifest. Get your copy here.