"Autoradio" rules

April 5 is exactly 20 years since Avtoradio first went on air. Yuri Kostin, president of the Prof-Media broadcasting corporation, told Interlocutor how the station became a leader, lives now and will celebrate a milestone anniversary.

– Any radio station dreams of becoming popular. How did Avtoradio manage to do this?

– Yes, you are right, over the past 5 years Avtoradio has made a breakthrough, which has led to the fact that we have the highest ratings in Moscow. And in Russia we have come close to the leader, becoming the second federal network in the country.

When Avtoradio was born, there were only about 10 radio stations in our market. The entry of another player could not go unnoticed. And the idea of ​​a music and information radio for motorists is exceptional. Of course, competition is getting tougher every year. But it’s good that our business and creative potential does not dry out. We are one step ahead. Take, for example, the “Disco 80s” festival, which has already become an event in cultural life...

– ...and will become the center of anniversary events?

– I can even name the date for the twelfth “Disco of the 80s” – November 23, 2013. But even before this date, we are organizing a series of major events throughout Russia in cities where we have branches. We are planning many broadcast events. Some have already launched - the “Lots of money on Avtoradio” campaign has recently started, during which we are distributing cash prizes to our radio listeners. The slogan of the anniversary celebrations is “Autoradio. 20 years old. The best". His ideology is that the best radio station in the country gives the audience its best projects.

– When will you celebrate the event yourself?

– We planned to hold a banquet on April 5, but then we realized that there was absolutely no time for this. We will hold a big broadcast marathon on April 5 at Avtoradio. From the very morning, artists, athletes, and politicians will begin to come to the hosts of the morning show “Murzilki International”. And this action will last until late evening. We will try to do everything so that, as they say on Avtoradio, “the airwaves ring.” And we ourselves will be able to celebrate the anniversary only on June 21 with a concert at Crocus City Hall.

– On the birthday of the station, one cannot help but remember the president of Avtoradio, Alexander Varin, who left three years ago... Some people then gloated and waited for you to break down. But you are in the top positions even without Varin.

– We still ask ourselves the question: is it us by inertia or already ourselves? I still think that we do it ourselves. But what it lays down is one of the main prerequisites for success. We still use the decision-making system that was established under Varin. He did not leave a specific successor, and the team became the successor. I rely on him.