The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has floated a consultation paper to seek views on the digital radio broadcast policy for private radio broadcasters. It has sought views on various issues including the kind of technologies that should be adopted, the approach for migration to digital radio broadcast and steps that need to be taken to ensure availability of affordable digital radio receivers among other nuances of the proposed policy.

TRAI noted that currently, analogue terrestrial radio broadcast in India is carried out in Medium Wave (MW) (526–1606 KHz), Short Wave (SW) (6–22 MHz), and VHF-II (88–108 MHz) spectrum bands. VHF-II band is popularly known as FM band. All India Radio (AIR) - the public service broadcaster - provides radio broadcasting services in MW, SW and FM bands. Private sector radio broadcasters are licensed to transmit programmes in FM frequency band (88-108 MHz) only.

The regulator believes that digital radio broadcasting will provide a number of advantages over analogue radio broadcasting. “The major advantage of Digital Radio broadcasting is 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,” TRAI noted.

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. “However, any initiative in digitization of FM band by private FM radio broadcasters is still awaited,” it added.

TRAI said there is a need to bring all the stakeholders - radio broadcasters, transmission equipment manufacturers, and digital radio receiver manufacturers - on one platform and to encourage them to work collectively for developing the ecosystem for digital radio broadcasting. In its reference to TRAI on the issue, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry has noted that in order to cater to technology shift, some existing provisions under FM Phase-III policy may require a relook.

TRAI has sought stakeholders view on the changes required in the existing policy to support development of digital radio broadcasting ecosystem in the country. Comments can be sent by October 28.

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