To offer the growing number of smartphone users better access to radio services, All India Radio (AIR) plans to simulcast content aired on its medium wave (MW) radio stations in FM mode, too.

This idea is to strengthen AIR’s popularity among smartphone users, who increasingly use the medium to listen to the radio, especially in the urban areas.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters, that nearly 100 medium wave radio stations have been identified that will be simulcast on FM so that smartphone users can listen to AIR’s content.

“The medium wave stations broadcast can be heard in rural areas and outside cities from where they are telecast, but not in the local regions and nearby areas. FMisation of these channels is being planned. So, we planned to simulcast the content, which will be run on MW and FM,” said Javadekar.

Officials said the proposal will require funds of about ₹1,100 crore and would be sought in next year’s Budget.

Javadekar said the Ministry wanted to complete FM radio auction for phase-III expansion at least a month before March, when radio operators’ licenses are slated to expire. He said private FM radio stations will be allowed to carry news sourced from AIR.

The Minister was addressing the media at the launch of the free SMS news service of AIR in Assamese, Gujarati, Tamil and Malayalam on Wednesday.

AIR had launched the SMS service in English last year and expanded it to five languages — Hindi, Marathi, Dogri, Sanskrit and Nepali. The SMS news service is free and already has over three lakh registered subscribers. AIR plans to expand this service to more regional languages as well as offer customised news to their subscribers in the coming days.

Javadekar said it was the Government’s endeavour to address the changing communication needs, to enter into a dialogue with different cross-sections of the society and address the aspirations of young people.

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