I&B Ministry
Govt reiterates inability to permit private radio news
NEW DELHI: Reiterating its long-held stand that it was difficult to monitor news bulletins on FM and community radio channels, the Centre has expressed that permitting privately produced news bulletins could endanger “national security and public order”.
The Government has already announced that Community Radio Stations and private FM in Phase III can air bulletins of All-India Radio without any payment.
The government in an affidavit in the Supreme Court said it could not permit news content on FM as it might be misused by anti-national elements in the country and outside to propagate their agenda and radical views, posing a grave danger to the country.
Answering the Court’s query in this regard, the Government said there was no mechanism in place to monitor content of live broadcast of all radio stations and law and order problems may arise if they transmit sensitive news.
It also said several community radio stations were run by NGOs and could be used as platforms to manipulate the minds of local people.
“Broadcasting of news by these stations/channels may pose a possible security risk as there is no mechanism to monitor the contents of news bulletin of every such station. As these stations and channels are run mainly by NGO or other small organisation and private operators, several anti-national or radical elements within the country can misuse it for propagating their own agenda,” it said.
The government added that some radio stations also air programmes involving chats with NRIs and these may be exploited too.
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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.
