News Broadcasting
BBC Governors launch first public consultation on radio
MUMBAI: The BBC Board of Governors in the UK has launched its first public consultation, on proposals to make the Corporation’s radio archive more widely available to the public via commercial radio stations in the UK.
The BBC management has developed the proposals, which they believe could release further value to licence payers by giving them additional opportunities to listen to BBC content and through the revenue generated via licensing.
The proposals recommend:
– Making some archive programmes available for licensing by UK commercial radio networks for linear broadcast
– Giving consideration to third parties who approach the BBC with specific joint venture proposals
– In light of constantly changing technology, reviewing the strategy in 2008
– Within their proposals management has developed Guidelines for Licensing, to strike what it considers to be an appropriate balance between giving access to as much material as possible while ensuring that the BBC and rights holders are not disadvantaged; that the BBC is credited for its programmes; and that programmes are not presented in a context which is damaging to the BBC’s reputation.
– As part of their renewed commitment to become more accountable to licence fee payers and more transparent in their decision-making, the Governors have undertaken to consult the public and the industry on key decisions.
The eight week consultation, which is being led by the Governors’ independent advisers in the Governance Unit, is inviting comments and feedback from the public, representatives from the radio industry and other interested parties.
At the end of the consultation period, all responses will be published and analysed, before the Governors come to a final decision based on what they believe is in the best interests of licence fee payers.
There are approximately 750,000 hours of programming in the BBC radio archive, the majority of which is not readily useable, being uncatalogued or held on fragile and perishable media. From this total archive, which is growing all the time, BBC Worldwide currently holds a catalogued archive of more than 20,000 hours for selling BBC Radio output overseas.
Subject to ensuring all relevant rights clearances and in accordance with the proposed Guidelines for Licensing, the BBC is proposing that this catalogue should now be made available for licensing to other radio broadcasters in the UK. In addition, further BBC Radio programmes not included in the BBC Worldwide catalogue could also be made available in the UK. However the BBC states that it is difficult for it to quantify the actual amount of archive that could be licensed to UK broadcasters for a number of reasons.
In particular, without a clearer sense of likely demand, it is difficult for the BBC to assess how much of the material not sold by Worldwide might be made available subject to the commercial viability of locating and preparing that material for broadcast. This consultation is therefore an important step in helping the BBC to understand likely demand and how much of this archive might be licensed by UK broadcasters.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
