[cr-india] ban on news on pvt. radio - parliament question

[sajan venniyoor]

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA : MINISTRY OF  INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING : RAJYA
SABHA
QUESTION NO  356, ANSWERED ON  16.04.2008
BROADCAST OF NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS BY FM RADIO  - SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state :-

(a) whether Government has been disallowing news and current affairs content
on private FM radio till now, despite persistent demand from the industry;

(b) whether a midway solution could be found, if a proposal from the Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India is accepted:

(c) whether in a significant suggestion in a consultation paper on the
proposed next phase of expansion of private FM radio broadcasting TRAI has
said that broadcasters could be considered for certain freedom and allowed
to broadcast exactly same news & current affairs contents already aired by
AIR and Doordarshan; and
(d) whether any final decision has been taken in this regard?

ANSWER
 THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SHRI P.R. DASMUNSI)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED
QUESTION NO. 356 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.04.2008.

(a): As per the Policy on expansion of FM Radio Broadcasting Services
through Private Agencies (Phase-II), the private FM broadcasters are not
permitted to carry news and current affairs.

(b) & (c): Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has submitted their
recommendations on issues relating to phase III of expansion of FM Radio
Broadcasting to the Government on 22.02.2008. The Authority while giving
recommendations on various issues also recommended that FM Radio
Broadcasters may be permitted to broadcast news taking content from All
India Radio, Doordarshan, authorized T.V. News channels, United News of
India, Press Trust of India and any other authorized news agency without any
substantive change in the content.

(d): The recommendations of TRAI are being examined by the Government.
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