I&B Ministry
Music Broadcast plans IPO; to make buys
MUMBAI: Music Broadcast Private Limited, which operates one of the leading FM radio stations — Radio City — is planning to list. It is preparing to bring out a public offer of over Rs 500 crore comprising a fresh issue of Rs 400 crore and an offer for sale of 26.59 lakh equity shares by the promoters’ family.
The proceeds from the issue will be utilised to retire debt of around Rs 150 crore, and the remainder to create a “war chest” for future acquisitions.
Radio City 91.1 FM brand has been synonymous with the category since inception in 2001. Innovative programming and marketing initiatives have helped Radio City pioneer FM in India. In phase III auction, the network expanded its footprint by efficiently adding 11 new markets after carefully selecting towns with greater SEC AB population. With the addition of the new towns and addition of Radio Mantra towns, Radio City reaches to 39 most important towns of India dominating the most important advertiser markets. The first FM station will be launching internet radio streams in India with 30 stations and counting
Music Broadcast promoter Jagran Prakashan CFO R. K. Agarwal said that they already filed the DRHP and post-regulatory approvals, and intend to hit the capital market. Most of the funds would be used to strengthen the capital structure so that a war chest was created to acquire more radio stations as and when opportunity arose, he added.
Agrawal said it sees a lot of opportunities in radio as its business has been expanding at a CAGR of 15-16 per cent for several years, and has been operating at a margin of 33 per cent.
Music Broadcast director Apurva Purohit said that the radio sector was the youngest in M&E but was growing fast. Radio’s share in the media and entertainment industry pie was only four per cent of the total advertisement market size due to the tardy pace of regulation, which otherwise could have been as high as 12 per cent.
I&B Ministry
Doordarshan, ICCR sign MoU to boost global reach of Indian culture
Pact taps TV, radio and digital platforms to take cultural content worldwide
NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at taking India’s cultural story further across borders, Doordarshan under Prasar Bharati has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to expand the global reach of Indian cultural content.
The agreement, signed on April 7 at Doordarshan Bhawan, brings together the content strength of ICCR and the wide broadcast network of Doordarshan, spanning television, radio and digital platforms.
Under the partnership, ICCR will provide a steady stream of cultural programming, including performances and events organised by Indian missions abroad such as embassies, consulates and cultural centres. Doordarshan will handle production, coverage and distribution, ensuring that these programmes find audiences not just in India but across the world.
The collaboration also opens the door for recorded cultural content from overseas missions to be aired across multiple platforms, including OTT and social media, making Indian art, music and heritage more accessible to global viewers.
A notable feature of the MoU is joint ownership of content rights in perpetuity, including digital rights. This allows both organisations to archive and reuse material over time, building a long-term cultural repository while maximising reach. Doordarshan will also support pre-event promotion and cross-platform visibility to drive engagement.
Speaking at the signing, Doordarshan director general K. Satish Nambudiripad and Indian Council for Cultural Relations director general K. Nandini Singla highlighted the potential of the partnership to strengthen India’s cultural diplomacy through modern media channels.
The agreement, initially valid for three years, also allows Doordarshan to explore monetisation opportunities from the content generated, adding a commercial layer to cultural broadcasting.
As India looks to blend tradition with technology, this partnership signals a clear intent to make its cultural voice not just heard, but seen and streamed across the globe.
