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Private FM radio
licencees in Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai will not be allowed to set
up individual interim operations in the three metros, as desired
by them. Dashing the hopes of the licencees, the government has
decided to grant no concessions to the FM players in these cities,
according to a senior official in the information and broadcasting
ministry.
The licencees
in the three metros had requested the government for permission
to begin their individual FM businesses on an interim basis, till
they could co-locate their transmitters on the All India Radio (AIR)
towers. But the government has conveyed its decision to the FM players
that they would have to co-locate their transmitters in the three
cities. And that till the time they’re able to co-locate, no
interim set-up will be allowed. Besides, the date for paying the
licence fee will not be extended beyond August 29.
Earlier, the
government had granted a concession to the Mumb-ai FM radio licencees
as AIR Mum-bai could not offer its tower for co-location of private
players’ tran-smitters. As the Mumbai players were allowed
to go in for an interim set-up, private FM radio stations are already
up and running there. In comparison, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai
licencees can only begin operations by March 2003.
Recently, when
French infrastructure company TDF, which was close to being appointed
as the integrator for the radio project in the three cities, bowed
out of the venture, the FM licencees approached the government with
request for individual interim set-ups. Interim set-ups, in contrast
to permanent co-location, can be organised faster and also with
less complications. However, co-location is aimed at spectrum-saving.
The private
FM players who will be hit by the government decision include the
Mid-Day group, Radio Today of the Living Media group, Music Broadcast
(Star-Ispat venture) and Entertainment Network of the Bennett Coleman
group.
So, it’s
quite clear now that till next year, Mumbai will be the lone metro
with private FM radio.
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