Bhubaneswar: Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Sunday said his ministry was planning to bring more private and public broadcasters into Orissa. The minister was speaking exclusively to Orissa POST following the valedictory function of International Radio Fair in the city.
“We are already in the process of phase III auctions,” Rathore said regarding the progress on 18 FM channels proposed for the state. “We have utilised the e-auction process in this phase. The process of expanding private FM channels will be carried out in phases and works are under way.”
Earlier, in his address at the valedictory function, the minister said private radio channels would be allowed to broadcast news after Phase-III auctions. “At present, 45 per cent of the population of India is covered by radio broadcast. We want to expand this to 65 per cent over the next two years. We plan to establish three radio stations each in cities with population above 3 lakh.”
He added that some more cities in Orissa will have multiple radio channels soon. “It has been planned to establish All India Radio stations in remote areas where private FM channels cannot reach and operate.”
According to draft guidelines for expansion under Phase III, more private FM channels are to be introduced in cities such as Bhubaneswar (1), Rourkela (2), Baleshwar (3), Baripada (3), Bramhapur (3), Puri (3) and Sambalpur (3). Rathore also took a dig at the debate on intolerance referring to the history of radio in the country.
“There was a time when the air waves were termed the property of the government and the public required licences for listening to radio. Records show that about 1,600 citizens were prosecuted and 700 penalised for listening to radio without licence. And people talk about intolerance,” he said. PNN