Neighbourhood voices
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With 87 channels marked for educational purposes, including 36 IGNOU channels, FM radio stations would contribute to further the cause of non-formal as well as formal education at the grass-root level.
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IT MAY not be long before the residents in a district listen to their very own boys and girls on airwaves. Their very own slang, value system and cultural connotations could well be there to make radio communication truly of local flavour. No longer would the time constraints on radio waves drive out the programmes of local content and relevance. This would be a reality soon when the Government's policy on the second phase of private FM (Frequency Modulated) radio stations in the country, becomes operational. Cleared by the Cabinet on June 30, 2005, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is now in the process of implementation of this policy.
FM radio channels
Under the new policy, additional 336 private FM radio channels will be available across the country, spread over 90 cities/towns of A+, A, B, C and D category.
Besides, 36 channels of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and 51 others are also earmarked for educational purposes. News broadcast, however, would continue to remain out of the purview of FM radio. Eight towns in the northeast region would be covered under the scheme with 40 FM radio stations, including 32 private Operators and eight dedicated for educational purposes. Similarly, in Jammu and Kashmir nine channels (seven for private broadcasting and two for education) are planned in the cities of Jammu and Srinagar.
Though it is difficult to draw exact contours as regards the educational value, it is hoped that with 87 channels marked for educational purposes, including 36 IGNOU channels, FM radio stations would contribute to further the cause of non-formal as well as formal education at the grass-root level.
Phase I
Phase I is what has already happened. In this phase, 108 frequencies had been put on bid, 22 frequencies were operationalised and two were "deemed" operationalised. The start-up has been slow. Out of 40 cities and 108 frequencies, Government received 101 bids for an aggregate of Rs 425 crores as against the estimated amount of Rs.79.65crores. However, the actual collection was only Rs.158.8crores from bids for 37 frequencies.
Phase II
The freshly issued guidelines/policy brings into operation Phase II and consists of two parts. One part would consist of those frequencies offered in Phase I that are not operational and additional frequencies in towns already covered in Phase I.
The other part would consist of frequencies in new towns not already covered.
Phase III
Phase III would consist of those frequencies, which would be put on bid after Phase II bidding is over and some experience has been gathered about the performance of Phase II. Recommendations for Phase III would naturally follow such experience and would be made at a later date.
In order to overcome the drawbacks of Phase I, measures have been put in place.
Bidding process
The bidding process has been made closed-bid type to restrict speculative bidding.
Secondly, the fixed annual fees has been replaced with the revenue sharing pattern, whereby the private Operators will have to pay 4 per cent of their revenue as annual fees.
Thirdly, withdrawal clauses have been made more stringent to ensure that those who bid for a particular frequency do come up with the radio station.
S.K. ARORA
Information and Broadcasting
Courtesy: Press Information Bureau
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