A glimmer of hope for radio

Amidst challenges, telecom regulator's recommendations show the path ahead for a brighter future for radio

Is there any hope left for radio? Last year, radio operators earned Rs 2,100 crore in revenues, which is not even a drop in the Rs 2.1 trillion that the entire media and entertainment business earned in 2022.

Radio is simply not seen as an important medium by media planners. At its peak in 2018, it had hit Rs 3,360 crore in revenues. In 2020, the pandemic halved that to Rs 1,430 crore. That is also the year India’s largest radio brand dropped the word “radio” from its name. ENIL’s Radio Mirchi became Mirchi Unlimited. While most operators haven’t changed their