Broadcasting regulator TRAI has initiated a consultation process for creation of credible radio audience measurement framework that is conducive, growth-oriented and protects the interests of the stakeholders.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India which released a consultation paper on 'Issues related to Radio Audience Measurement and ratings in India' said currently, radio ratings in India are conducted by All India Radio (AIR) and a private rating agency.
"Some stakeholders, especially the private FM Radio operators, have raised concerns about the inadequate coverage and panel size of the radio audience measurement conducted by this private rating agency. They are also concerned about the methodology used for the measurement," TRAI said in a statement.
It said that the importance of a credible, transparent and representative radio audience measurement system for generation and publication of radio ratings is recognised world over and FM operators solely depend on advertising for their revenue generation.
"Therefore, there is a need to prescribe a framework for Radio Audience Measurement in India which is conducive, forward looking, growth oriented that protects the interests of the stakeholders," it said.
The telecom authority, it added, intends to ensure a forward-looking, transparent and credible radio rating framework with a "minimal regulatory intervention" in the radio rating process.
Advertisement revenue of the radio broadcasting sector is directly linked to listenership of radio channels. Advertisers and advertising agencies require audience measurement which indicates the popularity of a channel or a program, it added.
"Therefore, there is a need to have an accurate measurement and representative of radio ratings for FM channels or programmes," it said.
Sharma said that shortage of fixed line infrastructure
has led to crunch in bandwidth because most of the people are connected with mobile phones.
"Robust bandwidth usage is not done while moving. Mobile wireless can never be reliable. It is not very robust," Sharma said.
He said that everywhere in the world broadband speed is defined as internet connection with 2 megabit per second but a connection with 512 kbps internet speed is called broadband here.
"In the Telecom Policy of 2012, we have open sky policy declared there whereby we are saying that satellite bandwidth shall be available in a very free market manner. Unfortunately, it remains clogged with Department of Space. Antrix Corporation, they canalised this entire bandwidth provision," Sharma said.
As a result, India gets connectivity bandwidth from Satellites at a very high rate.
"This (Satellite connectivity) is needed in area we can't lay optic fibre like Jammu and Kashmir, North East. A policy change will make satellite bandwidth available in free market manner. It should be another way to increase supply of broadband in our country," he said.
