The Hindu Business Line : Private FMs may not be able to join DTH platforms

Under the present policy, FM radio stations can operate only within a particular geographical area and cannot have a pan-India presence. This was pointed out when the national broadcaster Prasar Bharati planned to offer space to private FM channels in its free DTH service, DD Direct Plus.

According to Government source, "Prasar Bharati is planning to increase the number of FM radio stations on its DTH platform from 12 to 20 although it has the capacity to offer 30 channels. However, this capacity cannot be taken up by the private radio broadcasters as it would violate the license conditions."

Geographic limitations

The source further added that the FM radio licenses were granted after a city-wise bidding process. "An operator can operate only within the geographical limits of the city where it has been granted the license. By joining a DTH platform, these limits would become irrelevant as DTH has an all-India presence," he said.

Analysts said that other DTH operators who plan to offer radio on their platforms could be impacted. Interestingly, both the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Enterprises Group and the Sun Group have won several FM radio licenses and also have plans for launching DTH services.

However, DD Direct Plus already offers two FM radio channels, AIR-FM Rainbow and AIR-FM Gold on its platform.

ASC Enterprises, which offers DTH under the Dish TV brand, has 14 radio channels that include 12 AIR channels and two foreign. "If DTH platforms want to offer radio they could ask the private FM operators to put together a special channel. The FM channels cannot be aired directly," said an official of broadcasting company eyeing the DTH space.

Talks for more TV channels

Meanwhile, Prasar Bharati is in talks with private broadcasters to increase the number of television channels on its DTH platform from 33 to 51. Though it is planning to charge Rs 1 crore as technical fee for carriage of the channels, broadcasters are not too keen to fork out the money.

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