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Government may allow temporary FM transmitters

Anjan Mitra

The government has initiated proceedings to amend a clause relating to co-location of transmitters for private FM radio.

This comes in view of the fact that some prospective FM radio operators had sought permission to put up temporary individual transmitter towers.

As per the original clause, the radio transmitters had to be co-located in the metros. According to a government official, "The information and broadcasting ministry has prepared a paper relating to an interim relief on transmitter towers. The draft has gone to the department of communications for comments after which it will be put up before the Cabinet."

The step has been necessiated as the FM radio policy involving private players, cleared by the Cabinet in July 1999, did not have any provision for temporary transmitter towers.

The FM radio initiative, permitting private players to set up FM radio stations in 40 cities, hit a roadblock when some of the companies, subsequent to auctioning of licences, went to the court contesting various clauses.

Since then, some of the litigants (like a Zee Telefilms group company) have abandoned their FM radio business plans, while another media company has shut shop altogether.

The prolonged legal battle had prompted some players, like PK Mittal's Music Broadcast Pvt Ltd (which will source programming from Star India), Mid-Day and Sumangali, Sun TV's parent company, to approach the I&B ministry seeking temporary relief in the form of permission to put up temporary transmitter towers.

Meanwhile, country's first private FM radio station is slated to be inaugurated by I&B minister Sushma Swaraj in Bangalore later this month. Taking the lead will be Music Broadcast under the name Radio City.

After Bangalore, the next destination of Music Broadcast, which obtained licences for FM radio stations in six cities, is Lucknow.

As per a contract signed between Music Broadcast and Star, the latter will supply all the content needed for the FM radio stations and also undertake the marketing and ad sales activities. For this purpose, Star India has set up a separate radio division and named former executive vice-president, ad sales, Sumantra Dutta as the new division's chief operating officer.

The FM services are part of Star's overall strategy to deliver content via all the media available in the country.

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