TRAI Recommends Allowing Private FM Radio to Broadcast News and Current Affairs

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended that private FM radio operators should be permitted to broadcast news and current affairs programs for a duration of 10 minutes every hour.

In its suggestions regarding ‘FM Radio Broadcasting Issues,’ TRAI also proposed applying the program code of conduct, which currently applies to All India Radio, to private FM radio channels. TRAI stated, “Private FM Radio Operators should have the opportunity to air news and current affairs content, limited to 10 minutes within each hour.”

Furthermore, TRAI emphasized that FM radio features on mobile devices should remain active without any deactivation or disablement. They also suggested that the annual license fee for FM radio channels should no longer be tied to the Non-Refundable One Time Entry Fee (NOTEF) and instead be calculated as four percent of the Gross Revenue (GR) generated by the FM radio channel in the respective financial year.

TRAI recommended excluding GST from the GR, and it urged the government to take necessary measures to assist FM radio operators in addressing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.