TRAI releases consultation paper pushing for a digital radio broadcast policy

New Delhi: The current radio landscape is dominated by analog radio. This means the current dissemination methods used by radio broadcasters use old-school analog signals that use combinations of zeroes and ones to send out signals received by radio devices across the country.

In an attempt to change that, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released a consultation paper today on "Formulating a Digital Radio Broadcast Policy for private radio broadcasters.”

In other words, TRAI is working on a digital radio which could be compared to upgrading from an old TV to a new HD TV. 

It’s clearer and can broadcast 3-4 channels on the same frequency whereas you could only broadcast one with analogue. This means more choices and better sound quality for listeners.

In a competitive environment, digital radio broadcasting can provide exciting new opportunities to radio broadcasters as well as a host of value-added services to the listeners. 

At present, analogue terrestrial radio broadcast in India is carried out in Medium Wave (MW) (526-1606 KHz), Short Wave (SW) (6-22 MHz), and VHF-Il (88-108 MHz) spectrum bands. The VHF-Il band is popularly known as the FM band due to the deployment of Frequency Modulation (FM) technology in this band. 

All India Radio (AIR) - the public service broadcaster provides radio broadcasting services in MW, SW, and FM bands. Private sector radio broadcasters are licensed to transmit programs in FM frequency band (88 108 MHz) only.

Being the flag bearer of radio technology in India, All India Radio (AIR) has initiated the digitisation of its analogue MW and SW radio broadcast network and has already replaced its existing 38 analogue transmitters with digital transmitters. AIR has conducted trials for digital radio technologies in the FM band also. 

However, any initiative in digitisation of FM bands by private FM radio broadcasters is still awaited.

It is important to note that, in 2018, TRAI recommended creating a collaborative ecosystem for digital radio broadcasting in India, involving all key stakeholders. They emphasised the need for a government policy framework to guide the rollout of digital radio services. 

Recently, in April 2024, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) sought TRAI’s recommendations for a digital radio policy for private broadcasters, suggesting that existing FM Phase-III provisions might need an update to accommodate technological advancements.

Here’s a list of issues that TRAI has sought for consultation:

1. Do you agree that single digital radio technology adoption is preferable for the entire country?

2. In case a single digital radio broadcast technology is to be adopted for the entire country, which technology should be adopted for digital radio broadcasting?

3. In case multiple digital broadcasting technologies are to be adopted, please specify whether it should be left to the market forces to decide the appropriate technologies and what could be the potential problems due to adoption of multiple technologies?

4. What should be the approach for migration of existing FM radio broadcasters to digital radio broadcasting?

5. What should be the timeframe for various activities related to the migration of existing FM radio broadcasters to digital radio broadcasting?

6. Measures that should be taken to encourage existing FM radio broadcasters to adopt digital radio broadcasting.

7. What measures should be taken to facilitate the availability of affordable digital radio receivers? 

8. Should private radio broadcasters be permitted to simulcast their live terrestrial channels on the Internet? 

9. Should the provisions relating to eligibility criteria prescribed in FM Phase-III Policy guidelines be adopted for Digital Radio Broadcast Policy?

10. Should the financial eligibility criteria provided in existing policy guidelines be adopted for digital radio broadcasting policy? If not, what should be the financial eligibility criteria for different categories of cities for digital radio broadcasting? 

11. Should the provisions regarding the period of permission as per existing Policy Guidelines be adopted for the Digital Radio Broadcast Policy?

12.  Should the provisions regarding the Earnest Money Deposit provided in existing policy guidelines be adopted for the Digital Radio Broadcast policy?

13. What should be the amount of application processing fee for Digital Radio Broadcast services? 

14. Should the provisions regarding the Performance Bank Guarantee provided in existing policy guidelines be adopted for the Digital Radio Broadcasting services? 

15. Should the provisions regarding the time schedule for signing of authorisation and operationalisation of radio channels as prescribed in existing policy guidelines be adopted for Digital Radio Broadcasting services? 

16.  What should be the provisions relating to annual fee including payment methodology be adopted for digital radio broadcasting services and should there be a minimum amount of annual fee for digital radio broadcasting services?

17. Do you agree that the amended provisions of calculating annual fee as 4% of GR only and de-linking it from Non-Refundable One Time Entry Fee (NOTEF), be made applicable to existing operational FM radio channels, who migrate to digital radio broadcasting?

18. What should be the definition of Gross Revenue (GR) to be adopted for digital radio broadcasting services?

19. Should the provisions regarding the restrictions on multiple permissions in a city be adopted for Digital Radio Broadcasting services? 

20. Should the frequency be considered, or multiple channels operated on a single frequency be considered for the purpose of putting restrictions on multiple channels in a city?

21. Do you agree that the maximum number of channels that have been identified by MIB in category A+ and A cities as given in Table 3 should be put up for auction for digital radio broadcasting?

22. Should the provisions regarding the Programme Content provided in the existing policy guidelines be adopted for Digital Radio Broadcasting?

23. Should digital radio broadcasters be allowed to broadcast self curated news and current affairs programs as recommended by TRAI in its recommendations dated 5th September 2023?

24. Is there a need to prescribe the guidelines for genres of programmes that a broadcaster can provide on multiple channels available on a single frequency allocated to it for digital radio broadcasting?

25. Should the provisions regarding penalties prescribed in extant guidelines be adopted for digital radio broadcasting? 

26. What should be the methodology for examination and creation of new Common Transmission Infrastructure (CTI) setups required for new channels including their upkeep, given that existing CTI setups and towers may not have vacant space and apertures, respectively, for accommodating additional new channels in category A+ and A cities?