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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday released the recommendations on the digital broadcast policy that allows analogue FM radio channels to add a digital layer along the same frequency. The recommendations on Formulating a Digital Radio Broadcast Policy for Private Radio Broadcasters' also call for a single technology standard across the country and auction of new frequencies in 13 cities, a move that is considered the first step towards the digital shift of India's FM radio. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had written to TRAI in April last year, asking for recommendations for formulating a digital radio broadcast policy. The first phase of the rollout will cover four A Plus cities Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai and nine A category cities Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kanpur and Nagpur. TRAI has recommended the auction of two new spot frequencies in each of these 13 cities. The reserve prices have been
Coping with a sudden loss in federal funding, PBS affiliate KSPS in Spokane, Washington, faced a surprise extra hurdle. Many of its contributing members at one point almost half lived in Canada, and they were withdrawing support out of anger at President Donald Trump's desire to make the country the 51st member of the United States. When Congress decided this summer to eliminate USD1.1 billion allocated to public broadcasting, it left some 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations, each with unique issues related to their communities and history, to figure out what that means. Many launched emergency fund drives and are heartened by the response. The national NPR and PBS networks are reducing expected dues payments, and a philanthropic effort focused on the hardest-hit stations is taking shape. No stations have shut down, but job and programming cuts are already beginning. In Spokane, KSPS has always tried to keep its requests for member donations separate from appeals for public funding. Not
Dozens of Native American radio stations across the country vital to tribal communities will be at risk of going off the air if Congress cuts more than USD 1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, according to industry leaders. The US Senate is set to vote this week on whether to approve the Department of Government Efficiency's plan to rescind previously approved public broadcasting funding for 2026 and 2027. Fear is growing that most of the 59 tribal radio stations that receive the funding will go dark, depriving isolated populations of news, local events and critical weather alerts. The House already approved the cuts last month. For Indian Country in general, 80 per cent of the communities are rural, and their only access to national news, native story sharing, community news, whatever it is, is through PBS stations or public radio, said Francene Blythe-Lewis, CEO of the Lincoln, Nebraska-based Native American video programming producer Vision Maker Media. If the
Online auctions for 730 FM radio channels in 234 cities across the country are scheduled to start later this month, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju said on Thursday. Addressing the Broadcasting Engineering Society Expo here, Jaju said over 20 top companies from across the country have participated in bids that were invited for the auction under the Private FM Radio Phase III policy. "There are a lot of gains being made now in terms of the private FM radio. The auctions for private FM radio are slated to start this month," Jaju said. "I am sure that it will get good participation from many of the players," he said. In August last year, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the proposal to conduct the third batch of e-auctions for 730 channels in 234 new cities with an estimated reserve price of Rs 784.87 crore, under the Private FM Radio Phase III policy. In October last year, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting invited ...
Government is committed to advancing digital radio technology and its integration into the media ecosystem in the country, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) Secretary Sanjay Jaju said on Wednesday. Speaking at a conference organised by the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), in collaboration with the Association of Radio Operators for India (AROI), Jaju said the government favoured light touch regulation which would enable innovative content creation in the country. "Light touch regulations will enable innovative content creation and deeper listener engagement, empowering India's creators. Radio derives its strength from localised content choice embracing diverse community interests and cultural preferences," he said. Jaju said technology adoption, even in far-flung areas must happen while developing an ecosystem to facilitate deployment of digital radio broadcasting in India. "As part of our efforts, we are set to roll out digital FM radio broadcasting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his 'Mann Ki Baat' monthly radio broadcast will resume from June 30 and urged people to share their ideas and inputs for it. "Delighted to share that after a gap of some months due to the elections, #MannKiBaat is back! This month's programme will take place on Sunday, 30th June," he said in a post on X. "I call upon all of you to share your ideas and inputs for the same. Write on the MyGov Open Forum, NaMo App or record your message on 1800 11 7800," Modi said. Prime Minister Modi's monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast was last aired on February 25 and then took a break for the Lok Sabha polls. In the 110th episode of the programme, Modi had asked first-time voters to poll in record numbers in the elections and said their maiden vote should be cast for the country. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) guidelines of the Election Commission asks governments to not use official events or public-funded platforms for something that may be seen to gi
Arya Omnitalk plans to expand its professional and commercial radio service operations to 100 cities by 2030, a senior company official said on Monday. The company provides PMRTS (Public Mobile Radio Trunking Services), CMRTS (Captive Mobile Radio Trunking Services) and Broadband Push-to-talk devices to enterprises, security forces etc. Announcing an exclusive partnership with Motorola Solutions for selling its Mototrbo portfolio, Arya Omnitalk CEO Paresh Shetty said the company operates in 18 cities and will obtain licence to operate in more cities after the rules are notified under the new Telecommunications Act. "We currently operate in 18 cities. We are planning to expand operations to 40 cities in the next 18 months and then to 100 cities by 2030. The expansion will start after we get a licence from the government. We are waiting for rules to come under Telecommunications Act 2023 after which we will apply for licences," Shetty said. Its potential customers include municipal .