Private FM channels can air All India Radio news

The government on Tuesday permitted private FM channels in the country to carry All India Radio (AIR) news free of cost, and on a trial basis, till May 31. "Private FM Radio broadcasters would be permitted to broadcast All India Radio (AIR) News bulletins, in English or Hindi as per the list of bulletins given in news schedule, subject to certain terms and conditions," an Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry release said.

While announcing the initiative, Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore (Retd.) said the collaborative effort will "inform, educate and empower the citizens of India".

"The priority of the government is to ensure awareness of people, he said, adding an aware citizen is an empowered citizen.

Stating the terms of the collaboration, the I&B release said: "Any Private FM broadcaster which intends to broadcast the news bulletins will first have to register with News Services Division: All India Radio on its website http://newsonair.com at the Register Now tab. 

"The AIR News bulletins shall have to be carried in full, in an unaltered form. The commercials which are broadcast during news bulletins shall also have to be carried along with the news in toto." 

Private FM Broadcasters, the release said, will have to give due credit to AIR for sourcing their news and carry AIR news bulletins either simultaneously or deferred live by not more than 30 minutes. 

"In case of deferred live, an announcement should precede that it is a deferred live broadcast," it said.  Through a televised message, Chairman, Prasar Bharati A. Surya Prakash termed the initiative "significant in this era of collaboration and convergence". 

President, Association of Radio Operators of India, Anuradha Prasad thanked the Government for accepting the long-standing demand of private radio broadcasters to present news on their platform.