Phase-III FM radio e-auction to begin on July 9, says I&B Ministry

New Delhi: The e-auction of the third batch of Private FM Radio Phase-III channels will tentatively start on July 9, 2025, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced. 

The announcement follows the I&B ministry releasing the Grant of Permission Agreement (GOPA) for private FM broadcasters selected under the expansion. 

Announcing the tentative date for the auction, the ministry wrote, “The bidders are required to submit their bid for at least one city in the first clock Round. Any Bidder who fails to do so in the first Clock Round will forfeit its EMD in its entirety.” 

Over 20 companies have submitted bids under the Private FM Radio Phase III policy.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the third batch of e-auctions in August last year, with a reserve price of Rs 784.87 crore. 

The Ministry invited applications in October 2023, followed by an amendment to auction rules in April 2024, which extended the duration of each bidding round from 30 to 60 minutes to allow for more informed decision-making.

The Phase III Batch III auction has drawn participation from prominent radio networks, including DB Corp, HT Media, ENIL (Entertainment Network India), and Sapphire Media. 

In total, 19 pre-qualified bidders are competing for frequencies across Tier-II and Tier-III markets. 

This phase aims to significantly boost radio penetration, particularly in semi-urban and rural areas. The auctions will see successful players operationalising the 730 FM channels across 234 cities.