TRAI paper on community radio

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Wednesday released a consultation paper on community radio, which, inter alia, aims at obtaining structured inputs on issues like eligibility, licensing process, funding, and regulation and monitoring for the segment.

The regulator said the consultation paper, comments on which would be accepted till September 15 this year, was aimed at expanding the ownership of community radio beyond educational institutions and providing a cost-effective means of empowering local communities.

It sought views on important issues like widening the scope of community radio to gram panchayats and other local bodies and also whether news and current affairs programmes and advertisements should be allowed.

"The concept of community radio stations is in a nascent stage in India. Eligibility criteria should therefore not be overly exclusive, as this may hamper growth of the community radio stations in the country.

"Rather than defining eligibility, it may be more logical to define who is not eligible for a community radio licence.

There may be divergent opinions in drawing up such a list," TRAI said.

It sought views on whether the procedure of licensing should be made simple, especially as remote and rural communities may be interested and also asked whether furnishing of the Rs 50,000 bank guarantee, as currently stipulated, should be done away with.

Also, TRAI asked for views on the period of licence which currently stands at three years.

On the funding of community radio, TRAI sought to know whether community radio stations should be given grants by the government, and, if not, what possible arrangements could be allowed. Also, it sought to know whether community radio stations should be permitted to accept funds from foreign donors and whether any licence fee and spectrum use charges should be levied by the government.

On regulation and monitoring, it sought opinion on whether there should be a separate programme code for community radio and whether the ban on broadcast of news and current affairs programmes should continue. Also, it sought views on whether commercial advertising should be permitted, and, if yes, what should be the restrictions.

The regulator asked whether the existing guidelines need to be revised, especially with regard to religious programmes.

News and current affairs, election and political broadcasts and advertisements or sponsored programmes are currently prohibited on community radio to ensure they are non-commercial ventures and do not overlap with FM operators.

Currently only one community radio station is operational, i.e. at Anna University, Chennai, since February 1, 2004, even as letter of intent had been issued to 12 applicants after the government received 55 applications from various educational institutions following its notice in February 2003.

As per the policy for community radio announced in December 2002, licences can be granted to educational institutions/organisations, which are recognised by the central or state governments and the broadcasters are expected to focus on issues relating to education, health, environment, agriculture, rural and community development.

The contents are to be confined to social, cultural and local issues and the format, subject, presentation and language must reflect and exude the local flavour and fragrance, the policy says.