The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a consultation paper on February 9th, 2023, inquiring about whether private FM radio stations should be allowed to broadcast news and current affairs programmes independently. The paper has been posted on the TRAI website and includes a number of other issues as well.
Under the current policy, private FM stations are only permitted to air news bulletins from All India Radio in the exact same format. No other news or current affairs programmes are allowed. TRAI's consultation paper has asked for comments from stakeholders on this matter, as well as on whether mobile phone manufacturers should be required to provide in-built radio receivers in all handsets sold in India. The consultation paper includes a total of 52 pages, and stakeholders are invited to submit their comments by March 9th, 2023. This consultation paper is part of a larger effort by the TRAI to evaluate the current radio