Radio City to bid in phase-III if multiple frequency allowed

Music Broadcast promoted private FM radio channel Radio City is keen to bid in the phase III bidding of airwaves as and when it kicks off if the government allows a channel to own multiple frequencies in a city.     

"At present multiple frequencies are not allowed for a single channel...This stifles growth for channels like ours to experiment. We will be interested to participate in the phase III of the FM radio channels bidding if government allows this where we would like to start a chat station, classical music to increase niche listnership and increase ad revenues from the medium," Radio City CEL Apurva Purohit told PTI.     

Although not immediately, the fast growing company has plans for a listing later at a suitable time. Purohit did not reveal Radio City's revenue figures.     

She said the company would not like to bid for left-over cities of phase-II FM bidding round as Radio City is metro and mini-metro focused. It is keen to enter 20 cities with multiple frequency where it is operating now.     

In its recommendations, Trai has said that the present guidelines to restrict one channel in a city to one permission holder is mainly to ensure that such an important sector is not monopolised. Since in Category "A+", Category "A" and Category "B" cities, number of FM radio channels are more than 4, there is a scope to permit a permission holder more than one channel.     

The concern of the government will be met if it is ensured that first three FM Radio broadcast channels excluding AIR will be given to different permission holders.     

I&B ministry officials say government is looking at this aspect.