NEW DELHI: In light of multiple ‘fake’ news reports claiming closure of All India Radio stations, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has cleared the air: no AIR station is being shut down anywhere in any state.
Panning these media reports as baseless and factually incorrect, it has stated that no AIR station is being downgraded or converted in any state or union territory. Rather, Prasar Bharati is expanding its network with more than a hundred new FM radio transmitters across the country. It plans to strengthen the Akashvani, All India Radio, AIR Network with several key projects ready for implementation during 2021-2022.
Further, all AIR stations will continue to originate local programming in line with linguistic, socio-cultural and demographic diversity in line with its mission to nurture local talent.
The AIR Network, comprising a few hundred stations and several hundreds of radio transmitters, is one of the world’s largest public service broadcasting networks that operates in multiple modes – Terrestrial analog radio (FM, MW, SW), Satellite DTH Radio (DD Free Dish DTH), and Internet Radio (NewsOnAir App on iOS/Android).
Prasar Bharati is also moving ahead with its plans to introduce digital terrestrial radio in India. Select AIR channels are already available through Digital DRM technology to the listeners in many cities/regions on an experimental basis. Listeners in these cities/regions can experience the power of Digital Radio through a choice of multiple radio channels available on a single radio frequency in digital mode. Specialised Digital Radio Services of Akashvani available on DRM transmitters include AIR News 24x7 dedicated to news and current affairs, AIR Raagam 24x7 dedicated to classical music apart from local/regional radio services and Live Sports.
The public broadcaster is also in an advanced stage of testing digital technology options for FM Radio and a standard for the same will be finalised soon to herald the rollout of digital FM Radio in India.
Local and regional voices on radio stations from across India now have a nation-wide platform to make themselves heard with 48 satellite radio channels available on DD FreeDish DTH service.
With around 200 live radio streams on the NewsOnAir App, Prasar Bharati has given Vocal for Local a new global meaning with more than 2.5 million users accessing these 200+ live radio streams from different countries across the world with over 300 million views during 2020.
