The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has just released a Consultation Paper on “Formulating a Digital Radio Broadcast Policy for private Radio broadcasters”. This is seen as now essential for the final decision of the Indian government regarding the digitisation of the popular and competitive FM band.
While Medium Wave (MW, 526–1606 KHz), Short Wave (SW, 6–22 MHz) are currently used in India and digitised with DRM, the VHF-II (88–108 MHz) spectrum bands, or analogue FM band, is the only one used also by private broadcasters. All India Radio (AIR) – the public service broadcaster – provides radio broadcasting services in MW, SW (analogue and DRM) and FM bands.
The consultation paper makes the point that Digital Radio broadcasting in FM will provide several important advantages over analogue radio broadcasting. “The major advantage of Digital Radio is its capability of broadcasting three to four channels on a single frequency carrier, while ensuring excellent quality of audio for all the channels, whereas in the analogue mode only one channel broadcasting is possible on a frequency carrier. In a competitive environment, digital radio broadcasting can provide exciting new opportunities to radio broadcasters as well as a host of value-added-services to the listeners.”
All India Radio (AIR) has initiated digitisation of its analogue MW and SW radio broadcast network and replaced its existing 38 analogue transmitters with digital transmitters. AIR has conducted trials for digital radio technologies in FM band also (both in DRM and HD). However, any decision on choosing one of the two standards for the FM band digitisation, by private FM radio broadcasters, is still awaited.
While different consultations and trials on the issue have been going on in the last years, in April 2024 The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting specifically asked TRAI to come up with recommendations on formulating a digital radio broadcast policy for private Radio broadcasters.
Now TRAI has responded and initiated this consultation process in order to seek stakeholders’ comments on issues relating to the formulation of a digital radio broadcast policy for private Radio broadcasters. Written comments are expected before 28th October 2024.
The full text of the consultation paper is available on TRAI’s website www.trai.gov.in.
Full text of press release: Press Release: Press Information Bureau (pib.gov.in).
