The Hindu Business Line : TRAI widens eligibility norms for community radio

IN an attempt to popularise community radio in the country, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has widened eligibility criteria, relaxed licensing conditions, permitted advertising and news and current affairs programmes on these radio channels.

While earlier only educational institutions were permitted to apply for a licence, the broadcast regulator in its recommendations has said that any legal entity or individual should be eligible to apply for community radio licence.

Financial conditions should not be an eligibility criterion.

"Also religious bodies engaged in socio-economic developmental activities should be allowed to apply provided the station is used to promote development of the community," said the regulator.

It further said that an organisation should not be disqualified merely because it receives public funds.

"As long as the management or control over its affairs is not in the hands of the any Governmental body, such organisations should not be disqualified from holding community radio licence," it has suggested.

On the licensing conditions, TRAI has said that there is no need to introduce a licence fee.

Also there should be no spectrum fee for the first two years of licence to lighten the financial burden on a community radio station in its initial years.

It has further suggested that temporary permits should not be offered.

In order to curb frivolous applications, the applicant should furnish a bank guarantee of Rs 25,000.

While the Information and Broadcasting Ministry would be the nodal Ministry, the Home Ministry has been asked to examine the applications for internal security.

The licence should be non-transferable and valid for a five-year period.

Unlike some of the western countries, the regulator is of the view that the Government should not fund community radio.

However, any organisation engaged in developmental work and getting Government funding for the same would not be disqualified from receiving the grants if it sets up a community radio station.

TRAI is also in favour of permitting commercial advertising on the radio channels. However, the duration of the advertising time would be capped at 5 minutes per hour of broadcast.

However, this restriction on advertising time would not apply to ads generated within the community and where the advertising revenue comes from one of the community members. But no sponsored programmes would be permitted.

"The community radio stations should be permitted to accept grants as per the provisions of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)," said TRAI. It has clearly indicated that the radio stations should be under Indian ownership and control.

On the programming front, TRAI has said that the Prasar Bharati programming code should be adhered to and that the programmes should be in the local language or dialect. At least the community for which the station has been set up should generate 50 per cent of the content. Also, it has recommended that the current restriction on coverage of news and current affairs should be lifted and the security implications of this step adequately addressed. Religious instruction or preaching should not be permitted.

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