I&B Ministry
Radio City IPO to open on 6 March
BENGALURU: The Initial Public Offering of (IPO) of shares of Music Broadcast Limited (MBL), the company that has the Radio City network will commence of 6 March 2017. Besides Radio City the company has a sales alliance with Suno Lemon 91.9 FM and Friends 91.9 FM in Kolkata and 40 web stations in eight languages. The company has grown its presence from four cities in 2001 to 37 cities as of mid-February this year. Under the Phase III Policy, MBL acquired 11 additional radio stations, of which 9 are already operational.
The board of MBL had informed the stock exchanges through its parent and listed company Jagran Prakashan Limited (JPL) about the decision to hold the IPO on 24 November 2016. MBL had a turnover of Rs 240 crores in fiscal 2016 and a net worth if Rs 99.54 crore as per a JPL filing in November 2016.
According to an MBL filing at the bourses, the book building IPO comprises of equity shares of face value of Rs 10 each for cash at a premium consisting of a fresh issue of up to Rs 400 crore and an offer for sale up to 2,658,518 equity shares by the selling shareholders .The offer will close on Wednesday, 8 March 2017. The Price Band for the Offer is fixed from Rs 324 to Rs 333 per equity share. The sole Book Running Lead Manager to the offer is ICICI Securities Limited. The equity shares are proposed to be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
MBL will be the second radio operator to list on the bourses after Times Group-controlled Entertainment Network India Ltd, which runs Radio Mirchi.
Also Read:
Music Broadcast plans IPO; to make buys
I&B Ministry
CBFC speeds up film certification; average approval time cut to 22 days
Over 71,900 films cleared in five years as digital system shortens approval timelines
MUMBAI:Â The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has significantly reduced the time taken to certify films, with the average approval timeline now down to 22 working days for feature films and just three days for short films.
Operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the statutory body certifies films for public exhibition in line with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The rules prescribe a maximum certification period of 48 working days, though the adoption of the Online Certification System has sharply accelerated the process.
Over the past five years, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the board certified a total of 71,963 films across formats. Of these, the majority fell under the U category with 41,817 titles, followed by UA with 28,268 films and A with 1,878 films. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
Film approvals have also steadily risen in recent years. The CBFC cleared 8,299 films in 2020-21, a figure that peaked at 18,070 in 2022-23 before settling at 15,444 films in 2024-25. During the same period, 11,064 films were certified with cuts or modifications.
Despite the high volume of certifications, outright refusals remain rare. Only three films were denied certification over the last five years, with one refusal recorded in 2022-23 and two in 2024-25.
The board may recommend cuts or modifications if a film violates statutory parameters relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence.
Filmmakers can challenge CBFC decisions in court. Data shows that such disputes remain limited but have seen some fluctuation. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 21 certification decisions were challenged before High Courts, with the number rising to 10 cases in 2025.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan shared the data. The question was raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
With faster timelines and a largely digital workflow, the certification process appears to be moving at a far brisker pace, signalling a shift towards quicker clearances for India’s growing film output.
