News Broadcasting
Govt. mulls revenue share for 2nd round of FM licences
NEW DELHI: The government is contemplating going in for revenue sharing with the licence holders of the second round of licences for FM radio.
The process of second round of licences is likely to begin post July by when the government expects the first round of licencees would have started their operations in various part of the country.
According to a senior information and broadcasting ministry official, the second round of FM radio licences would be given out after the process is initiated post July, by when other aspects of the licensing would also be finalised.
The official also indicated that if the government goes in for revenue sharing during the second round of licencing, a migration package, a la telecom, would be devised for the existing players too.
Licence holders, including MBPL-Star, Radio Mirchi from the Times group and Radio Today from the India Today Group are expected to start their operation in Delhi soon
In recent times the private radio FM players have been grumbling that the losses have been increasing, owing to high licence fee (given out after an open auction) and low revenues.
Radio City chief Sumantra Dutta had told indiantelevision.com several months back that if the losses keep mounting then its associate, MBPL, may have to give up the licence in cities like Lucknow, Prime Minister’s Vajpayee’s consituency. Radio City had paid Rs 750 million towards the license fee and the station doesn’t make more than Rs 1 million per month.
Meanwhile, the private FM radio stations submitted their balance sheets to India’s information & broadcasting ministry on 16 April and, according to government sources, the industry has reported a combined loss of Rs 1.2 billion against revenues of Rs 0.5 million.
The industry had made a presentation to the I&B minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the first week of this month. In their presentation, the industry had advocated for shifting towards a revenue sharing model and relaxation on license fee payment. The industry had claimed that the revenues are not adequate and hence, the high license fee is not justified. The ministry had asked them to present their financial reports in two weeks time to support their cause.
The FM players are required to submit the license fee for the second year by the 30 April. If the ministry fails to come to a mutual agreement with the private FM industry on time, the industry had pointed out that some of the smaller players may have to shut down operations very soon.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
