[cr-india] FTII radio plays a sad six month song

[Alokesh Gupta]

FTII radio plays a sad six month song
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NEIL PATE
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2004 02:28:46 PM ]
PUNE: Talk about the much-hyped and delayed captive community radio and television
(CCRT) channel project of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and all
you hear is the famous "six-months" song from the babus and netas of information and
broadcasting ministry.
On June 12, 2002, actor-turned minister, Vinod Khanna, who was here to attend an FTII
governing council meeting, said the CCRT project would kick-start in "six months".
Taking a cue from him, former I&B minister Sushma Swaraj gave a "six-month" assurance
during her maiden visit to the FTII in October 2002.
Present incumbent Ravi Shankar Prasad followed suit in November 2003. Surprise,
surprise, the PMO cleared Rs 1 crore for the project in the same month, envisaging a
launch in December 2003
Many six months (and three months) later, there has been little progress on the CCRT
front. With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the CCRT project is expected
stay on the back burner for.... shall we say another six months?
FTII dean (television) Iftekhar Ahmed told TNN that six months ago, Rs 10 lakh had
been paid from "planned funds" to Akashwani. "The Akashwani has been vested with the
responsibility of procuring and installing the equipment required for the community
radio project. The proposal was cleared by the I&B ministry last year. However, we do
not know why its been delayed," Ahmed said.
FTII academic co-ordinator and professor of sound engineering Satish Kumar told TNN
on Monday that the delay could have caused due to the lengthy procedures involved in
acquiring radio transmission license.
"The CCRT project is yet to receive a license for operation. Furthermore, there has
to be clearance from the defence ministry and ministry of communication among
others," Kumar said.
He said the CCRT project will receive Rs 10 lakh every year from the I&B ministry for
the next five years. Kumar said the institute was equipped with the basic
infrastructure for a radio station like a recording studio. "Those living within a
five kilometre radius of FTII will be able to get the reception of the CCRT," Kumar
said.
Apart from recording facilities, the CCRT project has a modern Rs 3-crore sound
recording studio up its sleeves. The new sound building has two main studios -
recording studio and music (live) recording studio.
The complex also houses three independent digital work stations which can be linked
to the main mixing studio. In addition, the studios have surround sound listening
areas where films in DVD format can be played in 5.1 surround sounds as well.
(TOI,Pune - Mar 30, 2004)

Regds,
Alokesh Gupta
New Delhi, India.