Ambika Soni proposes via media for news on FM

New Delhi: Even as radio broadcasters are pressing for allowing news, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is still unwilling to permit private FM channels to broadcast news despite recommendations by (TRAI) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and FICCI.

However, Ministry sources said I&B Ministry Ambika Soni feels that a via media should be found where the channels can be permitted to broadcast some programmes other than just playing music.

Sources further mention that the Minister is in the process of preparing a paper in this regard and will then send it to the Cabinet for its approval.

Meanwhile, sources confirmed that the programme for phase III of FM expansion will be sent to the Union Cabinet by the end of the year and may become operation early in the New Year.

Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal is believed to have set up a mechanism to address the issues relating to royalty raised by the music industry, which was one of the reasons for postponement of Phase III of FM expansion.

The matter has gone to the HRD Ministry since it administers the Copyright Act.

It is learnt from sources in the HRD Ministry that it will sent its recommendations in this regard shortly to the I and B Ministry.

The third phase is expected to cover a total of 92 cities with a roll out of around 700 FM radio channels, according to the plan drawn up by TRAI. FM Radio broadcasting was first launched in the country in 1999. A total of around 250 private FM radio stations and 171 FM transmitters of All India Radio stations are operational in the country at present.