Private broadcasters to get licence for 40 FM channels

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, DEC. 9. Marking a start on privatisation of the broadcast media, 40 FM channels were being licensed to private broadcasters, Ms. Sushma Swaraj, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, said here on Saturday.

Stating this at the launch of the Vividh Bharati FM channel at AIR Bangalore, Ms. Swaraj said the stations would be located in towns with a population of five lakhs and above. The 10-KW FM transmitter in Bangalore will have a reach of 60 kms.

The All India Radio (AIR) would operate FM stations which would be 24-hour news channels. They would also give information on weather and traffic conditions. The AIR FM channels would be operating in the first phase by January in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad. Jaipur and Srinagar would be covered in the second phase; the four metros would also have 24- hour FM news channels, she said. FM stations would also be set up in Mysore, Mangalore and Dharwad soon, Ms. Swaraj said.

The importance of radio had not diminished as had been feared in view of the growing number of television channels, the Minister said. The joy of listening to good music was doubled when one could sit alone and listen to a radio. FM broadcasting would give clarity to the music. The importance of radio was proved when AIR broadcast appeals and messages from the family of the Kannada thespian, Mr. Rajkumar, to Veerappan who held him captive. Radio was the only medium Veerappan accessed.

The Government had declared November 12 as the National Broadcasting Day as it was on that date in 1947 Mahatma Gandhi made his first speech over AIR Delhi; it was a message to the refugees of Partition, she recalled. With the advent of FM and perhaps digital broadcasting in future, almost the entire country would be reached by radio.

Prof. B. K. Chandrashekar, Karnataka Minister of State for Information, who presided, said the news and other programmes in Kannada over DD1, time for which had been reduced, should be restored to their earlier duration.

Later, Ms. Swaraj told presspersons that it was proposed to introduce the Convergence Bill in Parliament during the Budget session. The proposed Bill would cover issues such as ``web crimes and web terrorism'' and extend to the converged media. Regarding Prasar Bharati, the rules and regulations had been notified for higher cadre and rules for other levels of staff would be notified shortly. The budget and other factors would be decided after the autonomous corporation took final shape. It was not apt to talk about a possible financial crunch since the corporation was expected to be financially autonomous generating its own revenues.

On DTH broadcasting, guidelines were being framed and the broadcasters would have to provide for earth stations. It would be for a niche audience and DD and cable TV would continue to exist, she said.

About the recent CBI raids on some former and serving Prasar Bharati personnel, she said any action against them could be planned only after the Ministry received the CBI report.

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