Govt to roll out digital radio broadcasting in 13 metro cities

New Delhi: The Indian government is gearing up to launch digital radio services in 13 different metro cities in the country. 

The announcement was made by Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, in a conference held on December 11 in New Delhi. 

Jaju said the government favoured light touch regulation, which would enable innovative content creation in the country.

Jaju said technology adoption, even in far-flung areas, must happen while developing an ecosystem to facilitate the deployment of digital radio broadcasting in India.

Ensuring that digital platforms are the way forward, Jaju said, “We have already reached a stage where now, in the next few months, we will be rolling out digital FM radio broadcasts in 13 metro cities in the country.”

Speaking at a conference organised by the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) and Association of Radio Operators for India (AROI), on “Future of Digital Radio Broadcasting in India,” Secretary Jaju elaborately discussed the aspects associated with digital radio technology and its implementation in India. 

“We are aware that there are four different kinds of digital radio technologies which have been adapted globally. We are also told that broadcasters would be in a position to simulcast, both in the analogue and the digital,” he said. 

Jaju continued that this may help radio broadcasters sustain revenues. 

The adoption of digital radio technology with simulcast can help double the revenues of the broadcast sector to Rs 123 billion in the next three to five years, according to a report by the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) and EY published in 2022.

The ICEA and EY report also highlighted that digital radio broadcasting can be beneficial for all stakeholders, be it broadcasters, listeners, advertisers, or regulators. The report also points out that with the digital radio broadcast, the authorities will also be able to use the digital radio infrastructure for emergency warnings and traffic information.

Jaju went on to say that digital radio reception in the radio frequency (RF) mode still needs to be established. 

“There will be capex involved here, and some of you will have to bear that to ensure that the existing transmission infrastructure is updated,” he added. 

He went on to say that the government is committed to providing “policy and regulatory certainty” to support the torrential growth of the radio industry. 

"Light touch regulations will enable innovative content creation and deeper listener engagement, empowering India's creators. Radio derives its strength from localised content choice embracing diverse community interests and cultural preferences," he said.

Through light touch regulation, businesses and organisations should be able to police themselves rather than being subjected to strict government oversight.

The government in September released a consultation paper to help formulate a policy for private digital radio broadcasters in the country.

According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the move is to bring all the stakeholders—radio broadcasters, transmission equipment manufacturers, and digital radio receiver manufacturers—on one platform.

Jaju said emerging 'creator's economy' was pivotal for enhancing India's soft power.

Highlighting the significance of digital radio, Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman, ICEA, stressed the need to adopt a technology which is proven and can go across various product segments. It will enhance the efficiency of the existing radio operators without disruption, Mohindroo said.

"With India's rich cultural landscape, digital radio technology offers unparalleled opportunities for innovation, multilingual content, and varied genres tailored to India's diverse demography," he said.

Uday Chawla, Secretary General, AROI, said developing an advanced ecosystem, supported by technologies like HD Radio, strengthened India's vision as a global manufacturing hub for digitally-enabled devices, boosting exports, especially in markets like the Americas.

A few years ago, All India Radio began its digital radio transmission using DRM technology. DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) is an open-standard technology for digital radio broadcasting.

Digital broadcasting is a green technology offering several advantages over analogue. These include FM-like clear reception, the ability to transmit multiple programs on the same frequency, and program-related text information. Additionally, it can provide value-added text such as news and traffic updates. The range of digital broadcasts is significantly larger than FM, which is limited to urban areas.

Another noteworthy feature of digital broadcasting is its early warning signal capability, which can alert listeners to disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and storms. Furthermore, a digital receiver can automatically switch to another channel when it goes out of range.

According to the Prasar Bharati website, over two million cars on Indian roads are equipped with line-fit DRM receivers. Several Indian car manufacturers, including Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki, MG Motor, and Mahindra, are now installing DRM receivers in their vehicles.