FM may be allowed to air news, but under watch

Government today indicated that it was not averse to the broadcast of news and current affairs programmes on FM channels, provided there is a "monitoring mechanism" in place.

An indication in this regard was given by Minister of Information and Broadcasting PR Dasmunsi, who acknowledged that there has been pressing demand from the radio broadcasters to let them air news along with entertainment and gossip.

"We do not oppose the broadcast of news and current affairs in the FM Radio but we may have to find a selective monitoring mechanism," he said.

The minister said the matter was "under consideration" and the Centre would like to have the view of the state governments on this issue. He was chairing a meeting of the state information minister here.

The government's stand assumes significance against the backdrop of a stern warning issued to certain FM stations a fortnight ago for their attempts to air news and current affairs programmes in overt or covert way. The existing FM policy bars private radio broadcasters from airing news and current affairs. Dasmunsi acknowledged that there has been "a great demand" for allowing news and current affairs in private FM channels.

"The Government did not allow news and current affairs programmes since there is no effective and established system to monitor the FM stations," Dasmunsi said.

Buoyed with the success of FM Phase-I, the government launched FM Phase-II and announced a new policy in July 2005, under which a total of 337 channels in 91 cities were put up for a bid.

So far, a total of 266 channels have been given a go-ahead, including the 21 operationalised under the old scheme of 1999. Out of this, a total of 116 channels are in operation and the remaining are expected to be operationalised by the end of the current financial year.

The Government recently invited bids for allotment of 97 channels in 48 cities and also plans further expansion of private FM radio stations in future.

The government also said it intends to give wide publicity to community radio scheme. "Keeping in view the potential of the medium as an effective tool for empowerment of the community, it has been decided to give wide publicity to the new policy," Dasmunsi said.

Earlier restricted to 26 stations run by the educational institutions, the government liberalised the community radio policy further in December 2006 and extended it to non-profit organisations also.

So far, 95 organisations have applied under the new guidelines and permission has been granted to five.