[cr-india] TRAI Recommendations on CR

[sajan venniyoor]

The TRAI on 9.12.2004 provided its recommendations to the Government on Licensing Issues relating to Community Radio Stations. (TRAI brought out a consultation paper on issues relating to community radio on August 25, 2004, and held Open House Discussions on 18th and 20th October in Delhi and Mumbai respectively).  

TRAI's major recommendations include:  

1.  Eligibility  

Ø      Any legal entity (including individuals) should be eligible for grant of a Community Radio License.   

Ø      The Community Radio stations should be under Indian ownership and control.  

Ø      The ineligibility criteria listed in part-I of the Schedule to the Broadcast Bill, 1997 should be adopted with some qualifications.   

Ø      Religious bodies engaged in socio-economic developmental activities may be allowed to hold Community Radio license provided the station would be used to promote socio- economic development of the Community.   

Ø      An organization/ body should not be disqualified merely because it receives public funds, as long as the management/ control over its affairs is not in the hands of the Central/ State Government.  

Ø      Banned organizations and their members should also be disqualified from holding Community Radio license.  

2. Licensing Process  

Ø      The applications should be filed directly with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, which will refer the applications received by it to the Ministry of Home Affairs.   

Ø      The Ministry of Home Affairs should give its recommendations/ clearance within three months from the last date of filing of applications.   

Ø      A license period of Five Years has been recommended with a provision for revocation of the license by the Government.   

Ø      Detailed technical specifications have also been laid down.  

3. Funding  

Ø      Government funding/ grants for Community Radio stations has not been recommended.  

Ø      Commercial advertising may be permitted.   

Ø      The duration of advertisements that can be carried by Community Radio stations may be restricted to 5 minutes per hour of broadcast. However, this restriction on advertising time should not apply to advertisements generated within the Community and where the advertising revenue comes from one of the Community members.     

Ø      No sponsored programmes may be permitted.  

Ø      The Community radio stations should be permitted to accept grants/ funds as per the provisions of FCRA.  

Ø      There is no need to introduce any license fee.   

4. Regulation and Monitoring  

Ø      The programme code of All India Radio and private commercial broadcasters should be applicable to the Community Radio stations.   

Ø      The programmes should be in local language/ dialect only and at least 50% of the content should be generated by the community for which the station has been set up.    

Ø      The current restriction on coverage of News and Current Affairs should be lifted.  

Ø      Religious instruction/ preaching/ proselytizing should not be permitted.   

5. Sharing of infrastructure  

Ø      The Community Radio stations should be permitted to share the broadcast infrastructure subject to the condition that at least 50% of the total broadcast time shall be utilized by the licensee to broadcast its own programmes.   

Ø      The licensees would require prior approval of the Licensing Authority for permitting other persons/ agencies/ organizations to utilize their broadcast infrastructure.   

Ø      The responsibility regarding compliance with the terms and conditions of the license agreement should remain with the licensee.

http://www.trai.gov.in/recom9dec.htm 
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