[cr-india] I&B ministry's views on TRAI recommendations on FM radio

[Vickram Crishna]

I forgot to mention the discussion on political advertising and news. The officials present said, to clarify what will be 'allowed' ie not forbidden, is 'soochna' rather than 'khabbar'. In short, information, rather than news. If this kind of broadcasting is done on CR it will not attract any displeasure. 

I asked for clear guidelines, since it is quite possible that succeeding officers may not be quite as clear about what goes, and what won't. This request was not greeted with huzzahs and cheery smiles. 

I like the bit about 'the absence of a localised authority'. When will this authority be defined? Are they waiting for a new gospel, a veda or a hadith to be written, so that we, the eager supplicants, can be anointed? This is a matter of regulation, not law, and rules are supposed to be framed by the ministry, not elected officials. 

About political advertising, since it has been allowed for commercial stations, I asked whether this extended to the 5 min/hr allowed for CR stations. No, I was told, but since it is not strictly forbidden in writing yet, watch this space, for an announcement is forthcoming. 

 Vickram
http://communicall.wordpress.com
http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com




________________________________
From: sajan venniyoor <venniyoor at gmail.com>
To: CR India <cr-india at sarai.net>
Sent: Friday, 28 November, 2008 15:11:06
Subject: [cr-india] I&B ministry's views on TRAI recommendations on FM radio

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has submitted its views on TRAI Recommendations on Phase III of FM licensing. The I&B ministry's views are available here: http://mib.nic.in/fm/ReferenceTRAI.pdf

Regarding the broadcast of News & Current affairs on FM radio, TRAI had recommended: "FM Radio broadcasters may be permitted to broadcast news taking content from AIR, Doordarshan (DD), authorized TV news channels, United News of India (UNI), Press Trust of India (PTI) and any other authorized news agency without any substantive change in the content. No other source of news is permitted at present." 

The I&B Ministry's response, which also defines what's non-news, is as follows;

"In the absence of a Regulatory Authority with a localized presence and any arrangement for monitoring the Private channels and the sensitivities involved, it is not possible to allow complete freedom to Broadcast News even though the content may be sourced from Authorised agencies as suggested. What is material is the way of presentation. The same event can be sensationalized or put in a sober manner taking care of the sentiments and sensitivities involved. Thus while the Government can allow the news bulletins of AIR or the Audio version of the news programmes of DD on such terms and conditions to be mutually agreed with Prasar Bharati, it is difficult at this stage to allow Private operators to Broadcast news on their own. 

However, Government recognizes the need to enable Radio broadcasters to bring in diversity in their content and to make the radio broadcast fulfill certain other needs of the listeners apart from remaining only as a means of entertainment. 

Therefore broadcast pertaining to following categories can be treated as a non-news and current affairs broadcast: 

(i) Commentaries (including live broadcast) and information pertaining to sporting events, 
(ii) Information pertaining to Traffic and Weather, 
(iii) Information pertaining to and coverage of cultural events, festivals 
(iv) Coverage of topics pertaining to examinations, results, admissions, career counseling 
(v) Availabilty of employment opportunities 
vi) Public announcements pertaining to civic amenities like electricity, water supply, natural calamities, health alerts etc. as provided by the local administration 
(vii) Such other categories as may be specifically permitted by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting from time to time. 

Opinion of the Government as to whether a particular broadcast falls in these exempt categories or not shall be final and binding."



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