POPULAR MANDATE

Zhu He had newly graduated with a major in English when he became one of the first three hosts of Hit FM, a program launched by China Radio International on April 16, 2003.

The bilingual radio program, unlike many others in China at the time, played dynamic Western pop music through the day and night, and almost immediately won many fans, especially among the younger generations.

Zhu, better known by his broadcast name Mike D, also gained a large fan base with his upbeat and entertaining shows.

Now, 18 years later, he has evolved into a senior host of Hit FM, maintaining a distinctive and engaging on-air presence.

In December, one of his shows, Hit FM Music Awards, won him the award of radio personality, as part of 2020 prizes presented by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

Established in 1964, the ABU is the world's largest such union and ABU Prizes are among the region's top awards for radio, television and new media content.

"This is definitely a highlight of my career and out of my expectations," says Zhu with excitement, adding that some 170 candidates from different countries annually compete for the prizes.

"I was told that I had won the award when I was doing one of my shows. I was very happy and overwhelmed, and even my voice sounded different after I got the news," he adds.

The criteria of the "radio on-air personality" award that Zhu bagged, include "exceptional quality" of a broadcast host's work, a "special or outstanding" presentation style and the kind of excitement a program generates among the audience.

Zhu is happy also because it is one of the biggest international awards for a Chinese radio program.

Hit FM Music Awards, the bilingual show that Zhu co-launched in 2008 is a year-end radio program highlighting Western pop hits of a year. The show presents awards in 11 categories. Following the same format of many Western pop music award shows, the CRI program has become a much-anticipated radio event among lovers of Western music in China in the past decade.

On the show, Zhu interviews foreign and Chinese artists, and connects with listeners in China.

Over 1 million listeners tuned into the Hit FM Music Awards program in 2020.

Today, there are many social media platforms that allow audiences to enjoy different kinds of music and enable musicians to communicate with their fans from all over the world.

In 2003, things were different. With limited sources to enjoy Western pop music, Chinese music lovers tuned into Hit FM to get the latest information on Western hits and pop musicians. The program brought a sense of freshness to listeners then and continues to serve as a link between music lovers in China and Western pop, Zhu says.

A Beijing native, Zhu, joined as an intern for CRI's bilingual radio program, Easy FM, in 2002. It gave him the opportunity to learn about radio and start a career. Though he was not trained to become a radio host, Zhu impressed audiences not only with his voice, but also his knowledge of Western pop.

Like many Chinese young people, Zhu has always been a music fan. He grew up listening to various music styles, Chinese and Western, pop and rock. One of his colleagues, who is a Canadian, gave Zhu the on-air name, Mike D, coinciding with one of the founding members of American hip-hop group Beastie Boys. Zhu also started to listen to Beastie Boys, which was formed in 1979, the year he was born. The job at CRI enabled him to interview many international artists. In 2017, when Taylor Swift held a concert in Shanghai as a part of her 1989 World Tour, Zhu met the American singer-songwriter.

"Before I went to Shanghai, I had a bet with my friends. I said that I would take a photo with her as one of the first Chinese radio hosts," recalls Zhu. "After I met her, I told her about the bet and she immediately put her arm around me for the photo. I was surprised."

Among shows that Zhu hosts are Hit Morning Show and Big Drive Home.

"I get up early in the morning even before sunrise since I have to start my show at 7 am. I also start to work when people end their day and are on their way back home since another show broadcasts late afternoon," says Zhu. "Besides playing hit songs, I love talking to listeners like they are my old friends."

His show, Top 20 Countdown, which follows Western pop charts, covers 25 Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Zhu says he finds it rewarding to be able to bring different people together and bond with them through a shared love for music.

"When I think that there are millions of people listening to my shows, I feel a sense of achievement," he says.

On his morning show, Zhu says once a listener picked the James Blunt song You Are Beautiful for her 10-year-old son. The listener told Zhu that 15 years ago, she had picked the same song for her own birthday on the same show. "The same woman is a mother now and the show is still here for her. That makes me happy."

Zhu also notes that taste in music is changing as listeners in China today have many ways to get Western music, which in turn is motivating radio shows to catch up with the times.

"There are many who have grown up listening to Hit FM. They are loyal fans and the show has become a habit for them. It's also very encouraging to constantly receive feedback from new listeners," he adds.