I&B Ministry
Private radio players take woes to law ministry
MUMBAI: The spectre of death may be looming larger than ever but private FM players in the country seem determined not to give in without a fight.
On 26 May, all five players in Mumbai, Radio City, Radio Mirchi, Go, Win and RED made a joint representation to the law minister in New Delhi on the vexed issue of licensing fee structure for the radio stations. The matter, says Star India’s radio division COO Sumantra Dutta is now in the law ministry’s purview. The Monday meeting focussed on the industry asking for a rationalisation of the license fee structure which is currently stacked against the private players.
Dutta points out that while the five players in Mumbai spent an estimated Rs 500 million last year, the aggregate revenues did not amount to more than Rs 260 million.
At a session at this year’s Ficci Frames, Dutta had said that the high licenses, that came into effect after a blistering bidding process three years ago, are killing the fledgling private FM players. “The media landscape is dominated by television and press. Twenty three parties had bid over Rs 4.25 billion for 108 frequencies in 40 cities in the initial process. Of these, only 10 paid their bank guarantees and only 37 frequencies are functional,” Dutta had pointed out.
Today, Dutta says the outlook is even bleaker. The temporary closure of Win 94.6 (which has been switched off since yesterday afternoon over alleged non payment of license fees for the current year) is bad news for the entire radio industry, feels Dutta. The growth rate of private FM is directly proportional to the number of stations in a city. Disruptions and closures will only add to the woes of the industry and not help matters, he says.
Dutta’s Radio City is attempting to pump up adrenaline by launching eight new shows next week, but he says only a revenue sharing agreement between the government and radio stations could help in the scenario.
The ongoing spat with the music industry (with production houses like Rajshris withholding the rights to the music of their forthcoming films from blaring non stop on FM stations, as was the norm till date) is also at an impasse with the matter now sub judice. Negotiations with the Indian Music Industry have come to nought, says Dutta.
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.
