[cr-india] Educational low-powered FM radio stations

[Frederick Noronha]

Starred question No 402 (to be answered on 12-08-2002)

Will the Minister of Information and Broadcasting be pleased to state:

a) whether Government have received proposals from universities or deemed
universities to run educational low-powered FM radio stations?

b) if so, the decision taken on the same?

c) the progress in setting up the radio stations of IGNOU in various parts
of the country?

(d) the cities/States where these stations have been set up, and the
places where these are yet to be set up; and

(e) the funds made available for the purpose

ANSWER

(a) Yes Sir

(b) For the present, the Government has allowed Indira Gandhi National
Open University (IGNOU), under the Ministry of Human Resources
Development, to run FM Radio Stations for educational programmes.

(c) & (d) Ministry of Human Resources Development has informed that six
(6) radio stations have been commissioned at Allahabad, Bangalore,
Vishakapatnam, Coimbatore, Lucknow and Mumbai. The 7th station at Bhopal
is likely to be commissioned shortly. 23 stations are likely to be
commissioned during 2002-03. The remaining 10 stations will be
commissioned during the next financial year.

(e) A provision of Rs 15.10 crores was made during the year 2001-02.s

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Question No 2738 (answered on 12 August 2002) also states that some nine
commercial FM radio stations have begun functioning in India (Bangalore_
Music Broadcast Pvt Ltd), Indore (Entertainment Network India Ltd),
Lucknow (Music Broadcast Pvt Ltd), Ahmedabad (Ms Entertainment Network
India Ltd), Pune (Entertainment Network India Ltd), Mumbai (Entertainment
Network, Music Broadcast, Millenium-Mumbai, Radio Mid-Day West, Radio
Today Mumbai).

Three companies have paid this year's licence fee but are yet to launch
operations. They are Entertainment Network India ltd (Bhubaneshwar,
Cuttack, Jaipur), Sun TV Ltd (Coimbatore, Tirunelveli), Udaya TV (Vizag).

Nine radio stations have time till August 29 to launch broadcasts and
operationalise. They are Entertainment Network (Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata),
Music Broadcast (Delhi), Radio Today (Delhi/Kolkata), Mid-Day North/South
(Delhi/Chennai), Millenium (Delhi/Chennai), Sun TV (Chennai), Hitz FM
(Kolkata), India FM (Kolkata), Vertex Broadcasting (Kolkata).

Companies that have withdrawn are: Vertex (Indore, Bhopal and Vizag),
Entertainment Network (Lucknow and Hyderabad), Music Broadcast (Nagpur and
Patna). 

Initially, some 140 radio stations had been promised in 40 cities. Few
seem to be on track as of now... FN