The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a Consultation Paper (CP) on “Formulating a Digital Radio Broadcast Policy for private Radio broadcasters”. All India Radio (AIR) has initiated digitization 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.
In order to develop an eco-system, which can facilitate deployment of digital radio broadcasting, TRAI suo-motu gave its recommendations on “Issues related to Digital Radio Broadcasting in India” on 1St February 2018. In its recommendations, the Authority recognized that there was 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.
Accordingly, TRAI has initiated this consultation process in order to seek stakeholders’ comments on various issues relating to formulation of digital radio broadcast policy for private Radio broadcasters. Written comments on the consultation paper are invited from the stakeholders by 28th October 2024. Counter comments, if any, may be submitted by 11th November 2 2024 The comments and counter-comments may be sent, preferably in electronic form on the email ID advbcs-2(trai.gov.inand jtadvbcs1@trai.gov.in .
