FM broadcasting in India

Type of radio broadcasting in India

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The FM broadcasting in India began in 1977; growing popularity after 2001 when the privatisation of FM broadcasting began. AIR's FM LRS (Local Radio Station) was inaugurated on 1 July 2000 at 06:00 in Kodaikanal relaying Madurai programs in the frequency 100.5 MHz. 100.5 was so popular that LRS was upgraded to an FM Channel in just two months. The channel covered a radius of about 200 km (120 mi) due to its location at 2200 meters above MSL at Kodaikanal. KODAI FM is popularly known as it is the biggest individual FM channel in India, in both area coverage and listenership.

As of December 2018, there are more than 369 operational private radio stations in more than 101 cities and towns across India.[1] The Government of India-owned All India Radio which has about 470 FM stations covering 92% of the area and 99.19% of the population of India. AIR originates programming in 23 languages and 179 dialects.[2][3]

## History

[edit]

FM broadcasting began on 23 July 1977 in Chennai, then Madras, and was expanded during the 1990s, nearly 50 years after FM broadcasting grew in the United States.[4] India first experimented with private FM broadcasts in Goa and the large metropolitan areas of Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai. These were followed by private stations in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Lucknow.

Until 1993, All India Radio, a government undertaking, was the only radio broadcaster in India. The government then decided to privatise the radio broadcasting sector.[citation needed] It sold airtime blocks on its FM channels in Indore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Vizag, and Goa to private operators, who developed their own program content. The Times Group operated its brand, Times FM, till June 1998. After that, the Indian Government decided not to renew contracts given to private operators. Instead, in 2000, the Indian Government announced the auction of 108 FM frequencies across India, opening up the FM broadcasting industry to private competition.

Radio City Bangalore, started on 3 July 2001, is India's first private FM radio station.[5] It launched with presenters such as Vera, Rohit Barker, Seetal Iyer, Jonzie Kurian, Geeta Modgil, Suresh Venkat, and Chaitanya Hegde and Priya Ganapathy on the weekends.[6] The Times Group rebranded its radio operations, establishing the Radio Mirchi brand. The first Radio Mirchi station began broadcasting on October 4, 2001 in Indore.

Indian policy states that the broadcasters are assessed a one-time entry fee (OTEF), for a license period of 10 years. Under the Indian accounting system, this amount is amortised over the 10-year period at 10% per annum. The annual license fee for private broadcasters is either 4% of revenue share or 10% of reserve price, whichever is higher.

India's earlier attempts to privatise its FM channels ran into rough weather when private players bid heavily and most could not meet their commitments to pay the government the amounts they owed.[citation needed]

## Content

[edit]

Nationally, many of the current FM broadcasters, including the Times of India, Hindustan Times, Mid-Day, and BBC are established media institutions in India and are making a strong pitch for news on FM, which is currently limited to nationalized stations only. Private FM stations are allowed to rebroadcast news from All India Radio, as long as they do so without any changes or additions.[7] The Supreme Court of India on 17 October 2013 issued a public interest litigation to the central government requesting that the rules should be changed to allow FM stations to broadcast news reports.[8]

## Radio stations by location

[edit]

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (December 2018)

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See also: List of FM radio stations in India

### National Capital Region

[edit]

Name  | Frequency  | Language

|
|

Radio Jamia (see Jamia Millia Islamia)  | 90.4 MHz | Multilingual
RADIO 7 | 90.4 MHZ  | Hindi
Delhi University Community Radio  | 90.4 MHz  | Multilingual
Radio SD 90.8  | 90.8 MHz  | Hindi
Radio City | 91.1 MHz  | Multilingual
Big FM | 92.7 MHz  | Multilingual
Red FM | 93.5 MHz  | Multilingual
MY Fm | 94.3 MHz  | Hindi
Radio One | 94.3 MHz  | Hindi English
Hit95 FM  | 95.0 MHz  | Hindi
Apna Radio (Indian Institute of Mass Communication)  | 96.9 MHz  | Multilingual
Radio Mirchi | 98.3 MHz  | Multilingual
AIR FM Gold | 100.1 MHz  | Multilingual
FM Rainbow Lucknow | 100.7 MHz  | Hindi
All India Radio JAIPUR | 101.2 MHZ  | Hindi
Amit Bharti  | 101.6 MHz  | Hindi
AIR FM Rainbow | 102.6 MHz  | Hindi
AIR AlWAR | 103.1 MHz  | Hindi
Fever 104 | 104.0 MHz  | Hindi
104.8 Ishq  | 104.8 MHz  | Hindi
Gyan Vani | 105.6 MHz  | Hindi
Vividh Bharti (All India Radio)  | 105.4 MHz  | Hindi
Radio Nasha  | 107.2 MHz  | Hindi
Sawai Madhopur FM  | 101.5 MHz  | Hindi
Noida FM  | 107.4 MHz  | Hindi
Gurgaon Ki Awaz  | 107.8 MHz  | Hindi

[9][10]

### Kolkata, West Bengal

[edit]

* Radio SRFTI (90.4 MHz, Available within a 10 Km radius of the film institute)[11]
* Radio JU (90.8 MHz, Available within a 5 km radius of the University, from 11:00 AM to 7:30 PM)[12]
* Y FM NSHM (91.2 MHz, Available within a 10 km radius of the institute, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM)[13]
* Friends FM (91.9 MHz)
* Big FM (92.7 MHz)
* Red FM (93.5 MHz)
* Radio One (94.3 MHz)
* Radio Mirchi (98.3 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
* AIR FM Gold (100.1 MHz)
* AIR FM Vividh Bharati (101.8 MHz)
* Fever 104 FM (104 MHz)
* Ishq FM (104.8 MHz)
* AIR FM Rainbow (107 MHz)

### Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

[edit]

* IIT Kanpur Radio (90.4 MHz)
* Waqt Ki Awaz (91.2 MHz)
* Big FM (92.7 MHz)
* Red FM (93.5 MHz)
* Fever 104 FM (95.0 MHz)
* Radio Mirchi (98.3 MHz)
* AIR FM Rainbow (102.2 MHz)
* Vividh Bharati (103.7 MHz)
* Mirchi Love (91.9 MHz)
* News Channel English (105.6 MHz)
* Radio City (104.8 MHz)
* Gyan Vani (106.4 MHz)
* AIR FM Gold (736 MW)

### Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

[edit]

* AIR Ayodhya Radio (101.4 MHz)
* Awadhi Radio (98.2 MHz)
* Big FM (92.7 MHz)
* Red FM (93.5 MHz)
* Fever 104 FM (95.0 MHz)
* Radio Ayodhya (102.9 MHz)
* Vividh Bharati (103.7 MHz)
* Awadh University Radio (96.9 MHz)
* NAG FM (106.4 MHz)

### Rajasthan

[edit]

* Radio City (91.1 MHz)
* Red FM (93.5 MHz)
* MY FM (94.3 MHz)
* Tadka (95.0 MHz)
* Radio Mirchi (98.3 MHz)
* Radio Selfie (90.8 MHz)
* All India Radio (100.3 MHz)
* All India Radio(Jaipur) (101.2 MHz)
* Mirchi Love (104.0 MHz)
* 89.6 FM Sikar (89.6 MHz)

### Ahmedabad, Gujarat

[edit]

* Radio Mirchi \- 98.3 FM (Times Group)
* My FM \- 94.3 FM D B Corp Ltd.
* Red FM \- 93.5 FM (Sun Group
* Radio City \- 91.1 FM (Music Broadcast Limited)
* Radio One \- 95.0 FM (Only Bollywood Retro Station of Ahmedabad)
* AIR Vividh Bharati - 96.7 FM (All India Radio)
* Micavaani - 90.4 FM (Mudra Institute of Communications)
* AIR Gyan Vaani - 105.4 FM (All India Radio)
* Mirchi Love - 104 FM (Times Group)
* All India radio - 100.1 FM
* Radio Nazariya - 107.8 FM (Drishti)

### Hyderabad

[edit]

Name  | Frequency (MHz)  | Language

|
|

Bol 90.4 FM | 90.4  | Multilingual
Radio City | 91.1  | Telugu
Big 92.7 FM | 92.7  | Telugu/Hindi
Red FM | 93.5  | Telugu
Fever Fm | 94.3  | Hindi
Mirchi 95 | 95  | Hindi
Radio Mirchi | 98.3  | Telugu
All India Radio (AIR / AIR / Twin Cities FM Rainbow)  | 101.9  | Telugu
All India Radio (AIR / AIR / Vvd Bharti)  | 102.8  | Hindi
Kool 104 | 104  | English
Gyan Vani  | 105.6  | Hindi
Magic Fm  | 106.4  | Telugu
Radio Charminar  | 107.8  | Telugu/Hindi
Deccan Radio  | 107.8  | Hindi

### Mumbai, Maharashtra

[edit]

* Bansal FM 95.5
* Vividh Bharati
* Jago Mumbai 90.8
* Radio City 91.1 FM
* Big FM 92.7
* Red FM 93.5
* Radio One 94.3 (Only English Radio station of Mumbai)
* Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM
* Radio Dhamaal 106.4
* AIR FM Gold 100.7
* RAINBOW FM 102.2
* Fever 104 FM 104.0
* Oye 104.8 104.8
* AIR FM Rainbow 107.1
* Mumbai One
* Magic FM 106.4
* Gyan Vani
* Radio MUST
* Radio Nasha 91.9

### Bengaluru, Karnataka

[edit]

* Radio City 91.1 FM - Kannada
* Indigo 91.9 FM FM - (English, Devotional)
* Big 92.7 FM - Kannada
* Red FM 93.5 FM - Hindi
* Radio ONE FM 94.3 - English
* Radio Mirchi 95 FM - Hindi[14]
* Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM Kannada
* Ragam 100.1 FM (Classical)
* FM Rainbow 101.3 FM (Kannada, Hindi, English)
* Vividh Bharti 102.9 FM (Kannada, Hindi)
* Fever FM 104 FM (Hindi)
* Radio Active Community Radio 106.4 FM (Kannada, English, Hindi)

### Chennai, Tamil Nadu

[edit]

Source:[9]

* AIR FM - RAINBOW 101.4 Multilingual
* AIR FM - GOLD 102.3 Tamil
* Chennai Live 104.8 FM ENGLISH
* Hello FM (106.4), Tamil
* Suryan FM 93.5, Tamil
* Fever FM 91.9, Tamil
* BIG FM 92.7, Tamil
* Radio City FM 91.1, Tamil
* Radio Mirchi FM 98.3, Tamil
* Radio one 94.3, Tamil
* Anna FM 90.4 Tamil

### Kerala state

[edit]

* Radio Mattoli FM 90.4, Wayanad
* Radio DC FM 90.4, Thiruvananthapuram
* Radio Macfast FM 90.4, Thiruvalla
* AIR Real FM 103.6 in Kozhikode
* Radio Mirchi 104.00 in Kochi
* Radio Mango 91.9, in Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode & Kannur & 92.7 in Alappuzha
* Red FM 93.5 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode & Kannur & Red FM 95 in Thrissur
* Club FM 94.3 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi & Kannur & Club FM 104.8 in Alappuzha, Thrissur & Kozhikode
* Radio Mirchi 98.3 in Thiruvananthapuram,
* BIG FM 92.7 in Thiruvananthapuram
* AIR FM Rainbow 107.5 in Kochi
* AIR Ananthapuri FM 101.9 in Thiruvananthapuram,
* AIR Thiruvananthapuram 106.5
* AIR Thrissur 101.1
* AIR Kochi FM 102.3
* AIR Kannur 101.5
* AIR Devikulam 101.4
* AIR Manjeri FM 102.7
* AIR Gyan Vani-Kochi 106.5
* Radio Media Village Changanacherry FM 90.8
* Global Radio 91.2 FM Alappuzha
* Radio Neythal 90.8 FM Alappuzha

## Market view, Jaipur

[edit]

Traditionally, radio accounts for 7% to 8% of advertiser expenditures around the world. In India, it is less than 2% at present.[citation needed]

The ministry of broadcasting in India is setting up more (86) FM Radio to all parts of India by March 2017.[15]

List of FM Stations in Jaipur:

1\. 98.3 Radio Mirchi (Listenership; 11 lacs plus)
2\. 94.3 MY FM (Listenership; 16 lacs plus)
3\. 104 Mirchi Love (Listenership; 10 lacs plus)
4\. 93.5 Red FM (Listenership; 8.6 lacs plus)
5\. 91.1 Radio City (Listenership; 6 lacs plus)
6\. 95 Tadka (Listenership; 1.4 lacs plus)

## Current allocation process

[edit]

In FM Phase II — the latest round of the long-delayed opening up of private FM in India — some 338 frequencies were offered of which about 237 were sold.[citation needed]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). mib.gov.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2022.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
2. ^ "All India Radio | Prasar Bharati". prasarbharati.gov.in. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). allindiaradio.gov.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2022.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. ^ "Mile Stone". allindiaradio.org. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012.
5. ^ Sen, Biswarup (26 August 2014). "A new kind of radio: FM broadcasting in India". Media, Culture & Society. 36 (8): 1084–1099. doi:10.1177/0163443714544998. S2CID 143785018.
6. ^ Radio City (Indian radio station)
7. ^ "Control freakery". The Indian Express. Oct 19, 2013. Retrieved Oct 19, 2013.
8. ^ "Why not let private radio stations air news?". Hindustan Times. October 17, 2013. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
9. ^ a b "FM Radio Stations in". trace.bharatiyamobile.com. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
10. ^ "Delhi Radio Stations on FM, mediumwave and shortwave". www.asiawaves.net. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
11. ^ "Community Media: SRFTI 90.4 F.M., Kolkata, West Bengal | profile by CommunityVoices.in".
12. ^ "Welcome to Jadavpur University website".
13. ^ "Home".
14. ^ "Tune into Radio Mirchi 95 FM for the latest Bollywood music | Bengaluru News - Times of India". The Times of India.
15. ^ "86 new AIR stations to come up by March 2017".

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