News Broadcasting
Government announces 1st list of FM Radio probables
NEW DELHI: One hundred companies had expressed their intent to start FM radio operations in India, but 30 seem to have either fallen by the way side or are yet to fully satisfy the authorities.
The government today announced the first list of 70 applicant companies that have qualified for financial bids for the second phase of FM Radio, which was outlined earlier this year.
A notable absentee in today’s list is an existing radio operator that has received the Foreign Investment Promotion Board’s clearance for investment up to 20 per cent by a British broadcaster.
Yet another existing FM player Music Broadcast Pvt Ltd. (MBPL), which runs the brand Radio City, is also absent from the list. When quizzed on this, the company’s official spokesperson says,”It is too premature to comment. Only the first list of probables for the second phase is out.”
Prominent among those who have qualified for financial bidding in the second phase are Subhash Chandra’s Pan India Network Infravest Pvt Ltd, HT Music and Entertainment company, Asianet Communications, Malayala Manorama and Bag Infotainment. Another major player set to make a foray into the FM radio sector is Anil Ambani whose Adlabs Films has qualified for the bid.
Among the existing operators, Radio Today Broadcasting has also made it to the list.
The financial bids would be obtained and opened for scrutiny in January/February 2006 as per a schedule already notified in the tender document.
The government had invited pre-qualification bids on 21 September, 2005 for expansion of FM Radio broadcasting services through private companies in 90 cities for over 300 frequencies.
The bids have been evaluated as per eligibility criteria, the information and broadcasting ministry said today.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
