MUMBAI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said she was hopeful of cabinet approval for phase III of FM radio that will also include the first-ever broadcast of news bulletins on private radio channels.

Speaking at an interactive discussion on media, organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Delhi on Tuesday, Soni said, The cabinet approval should happen before year-end....

In effect, listeners can tune in to private FM radio channels for their daily fix of news early next year, an issue for which the FM industry has been lobbying for several months now.

Around 700 additional FM radio channels, mostly in districts and very small towns, are likely to be rolled out under this phase of FM radio expansion.

Soni, however, clarified that private FM channels can only source news from public broadcaster All India Radio and Doordarshan (DD).

Soni added that she has met representatives of Association of Radio Broadcasters, the apex forum of private FM radio companies, to address their concerns about music royalties and has taken up the issue with the human resource development ministry.

Soni also said that she is keen to resolve the music royalty issue before the cabinet approval of FM III, media reports say.

MUMBAI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said she was hopeful of cabinet approval for phase III of FM radio that will also include the first-ever broadcast of news bulletins on private radio channels.

Speaking at an interactive discussion on media, organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Delhi on Tuesday, Soni said, The cabinet approval should happen before year-end....

In effect, listeners can tune in to private FM radio channels for their daily fix of news early next year, an issue for which the FM industry has been lobbying for several months now.

Around 700 additional FM radio channels, mostly in districts and very small towns, are likely to be rolled out under this phase of FM radio expansion.

Soni, however, clarified that private FM channels can only source news from public broadcaster All India Radio and Doordarshan (DD).

Soni added that she has met representatives of Association of Radio Broadcasters, the apex forum of private FM radio companies, to address their concerns about music royalties and has taken up the issue with the human resource development ministry.

Soni also said that she is keen to resolve the music royalty issue before the cabinet approval of FM III, media reports say.