I&B Ministry
FM players seek FDI at par with GECs since only AIR news permitted
NEW DELHI: The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the radio sector should be increased and the government should consider a 15 per cent national ceiling for future auctions and allow news on private FM radio, private FM players have said.
A Stakeholders’ Consultation on 22 January on the Phase III e-Auction showed that the players wanted a lock-in period of three years on composition of largest Indian shareholder.
Information & Broadcasting Ministry Secretary Sunil Arora said that the aim of FM Phase III was to enhance radio density in the country and efforts should be made for supporting FM radio to grow into a viable business model. He wanted all stakeholders to give their suggestions and inputs in writing by 30 January if they so desire considering that some stakeholders have already submitted their suggestions in meeting.
FM operators felt that the reserve prices recommended by TRAI on 24 March 2015 were very high and unviable. However, Ministry officials said the TRAI recommendations were advisory in nature.
Similarly, it was stated that the rentals by Prasar Bharati were very high.
It was also argued that the FDI limit could be increased to 100 per cent to bring it at par with the general entertainment channels as no news other than that from All India Radio was permitted.
This suggestion from Reliance Broadcasting found favour with many of the participants but some companies like ENIL and DB Corp wanted permission to make news bulletins on their own. The Association of Radio Operators in India (AROI) said news from PTI and ANI could be permitted.
AROI said if subsequent auction takes place in batches without relaxing the 15 per cent national cap, then this cap should be applied on overall number of channels being put to auction in phase III and not batch wise.
ENIL found it unreasonable that Phase II migrant licenses were made to undergo three years’ lock-in restriction under Phase III regime as well when they had already served five years’ lock-in under Phase II. But HT Media said the lock-in requirement was fundamental to FM Phase III policy.
Representative of Digital Radio Broadcasting also suggested that connected companies of a Group be treated as a single entity for participation in online bidding / auction process.
Suggestions for future rounds included more clock rounds per day; increase of Auction Activity Requirement (AAR); apart from auction report at the end of the day, and report of each round.
ENIL referred to delay of security clearance of its directors and key operatives from Home Ministry.
I&B Ministry
Digital radio, D2M tech set to reshape broadcasting and public messaging
Govt pushes next-gen delivery while TRAI tightens grip on spam ecosystem
NEW DELHI: India’s broadcasting and telecom landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant upgrade, with digital radio and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technologies emerging as powerful tools for mass communication, while regulators step up efforts to tackle spam calls.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, digital radio and D2M are poised to transform how content reaches audiences by making more efficient use of spectrum. In simple terms, multiple channels can now be delivered over a single frequency, opening the door to a wider range of free-to-air content.
D2M technology takes this a step further by enabling video, audio and data to be broadcast directly to mobile handsets without relying on SIM cards or mobile data. The result is a resilient and cost-effective data pipe that can deliver everything from entertainment and education to critical emergency alerts, even in low-connectivity scenarios.
At the same time, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is tightening its grip on unsolicited commercial communication, better known as spam calls. The regulator has deployed a distributed ledger technology platform to bring transparency and accountability into the system.
Through this blockchain-based setup, consumers can register their preferences on receiving promotional messages, while businesses and telemarketers must also sign up and operate within defined rules. The platform also includes a complaint mechanism that allows users to report spam, with complaints shared across telecom operators for coordinated action.
The government’s broader push is being supported by infrastructure upgrades under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the initiative focuses on modernising networks such as Akashvani and Doordarshan, including digitisation and adoption of next-generation broadcast equipment.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan said these steps are part of a larger effort to promote emerging technologies and strengthen the country’s broadcasting backbone. The response came to a query raised by member of Parliament Rao Rajendra Singh.
Together, these developments point to a dual-track strategy: expanding access to reliable, low-cost content while cleaning up the communication ecosystem. As digital pipes get smarter and spam filters sharper, India’s airwaves may soon feel a lot less noisy and far more useful.
