MUMBAI: Aiming to promote local language and culture of the state through FM broadcasting content, the Karnataka Audio and Video Owners’ Association (KAVOA) have cautioned radio stations playing international content.

The organization has set a month’s deadline to the networks, failing which the KAVOA will lead a massive agitation with the active participation of pro-Kannada organizations, writers, film personalities and all wings of the music industry. 

As per a report by a leading daily, A Mohan of Anand Audio named two FM stations and alleged that they broadcast only English programmes, totally ignoring the local language.

When contacted by Radioandmusic.com, international FM station Radio Indigo Bangalore MD Sanjay Prabhu said, “As per my knowledge, we have not been contacted by any such organization to include Kannada content in our programming. Moreover we belong to a Karnataka based group which has a newspaper and TV channel broadcasting content in the local language.”

Addressing media persons yesterday, KAVOA president Lahari Velu said despite repeated reminders, radio stations were not prepared to broadcast Kannada songs, a gross violation of Clause 11.5 of Grant Permission Agreement of the Prasar Bharathi (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act. Under the clause, “permission holder shall generally guided by the objective of generating local and variegated or heterogeneous content and make available quality programmes with a localized flavour in terms of content and relevant”, he pointed out.

Disagreeing with the statement, Prabhu added, “If organizations are going to force FM stations to broadcast content in a particular language, it will not work because such content also has to match with the station’s programming and music policy.”

As various FM players struggle to keep ahead in the race of innovation and increased listenership, such moves may hamper the freedom of radio stations branding themselves as local, bollywood or international pure play channels.