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News |  19 Apr 2012 19:08 |  By RnMTeam

Trai recommends minimum channel spacing for FM radio; Industry opposes the proposal

MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today released the recommendations on “Prescribing Minimum Channel spacing, within a License Service area, in FM Radio Sector in India.”

The frequencies for FM Radio channels within a license service area may be released with a minimum spacing of 400KHz.

A Trai press note said that the FM channels, operating with channel spacing of 400KHz, should be radiated from effectively co-located sites and transmitted with equal power. The exact allocation of frequencies may be done taking into account the frequencies and power of the existing setups/already allocated frequencies in the adjacent license service areas so that the criteria for frequency re-use are satisfied. All the future planning of allocation of frequencies and development of the infrastructure should be done accordingly.

With A and A+ cities demanding more FM channel even after the announcement of the Phase III guidelines, Trai had sought the opinion of stakeholders whether it would be acceptable if the minimum channel spacing within a license service area can reduced from the current level of 800 KHz.

The ministry of Information and Broadcasting had requested Trai to reconsider the issue of minimum channel spacing within a license service area in the FM radio sector. The minimum channel spacing i.e. the frequency separation between the adjacent channels’ carrier frequencies is an important parameter which determines faithful reception of individual channels at the listeners FM radio receiver set. With the improvement in the quality of Radio receivers, penetration of digital services such as mobile sets among the masses and alternate designs of the FM Radio transmitter setups, it is now technically feasible to transmit more FM Radio channels with reduced channel spacing in a given license service area.

All FM operators except Radio Mirchi, have cited cost escalation, devaluation of current radio business and negative impact on the quality of sound of current stations as the reasons for not supporting the move. Those who have not supported the proposal are FM arms of media houses like HT Media (Fever FM), TV Today Network (Oye FM), Next Media Works (Radio One) and Music Broadcast (Radio City).

Speaking in support Radio Mirchi said, “The TRAI’s recommendations on Phase III and minimum channel spacing of of FM radio are progressive in nature and if they are accepted by the Government in spirit, it will mean rapid proliferation of private FM radio on a far larger scale than what we have seen in Phase II – reaching out to the fringe populations of our country. In light of this, our submission is that the operating control of the private FM radio companies should vest with Indian companies and Indian citizens. Foreign controlling ownership, i.e. equal or greater than 25% would mean that editorial and content control no longer rests with Indian citizens.”

Justifying its stance against the proposal Radio City said that the decision of reducing the channel spacing would not only be “detrimental towards the interest of the existing broadcasters, but more importantly to the general public.”

It also said that there would be a substantial modification and investment required in the existing infrastructure. “The private FM radio broadcasters will have to invest to the tune of Rs 100 million for each city to make the said reduction in frequency technically possible. Such investment would simply make the transition to Phase III unviable for a lot of the existing and new broadcasters,” it said.

“ If Trai embark on this exercise of reducing spacing, it will waste a lot of time and there is no guarantee that it will be good for the listener as analogue transmission even at 800khz separation is not efficient. There are many technical problems even now especially as combiners are even now overloaded.” said Radio One.

Radio One also added that if the channel spacing is done without the co terminus for existing players, there is no level playing field and “existing players will be forced to take legal recourse”. It warned that Phase III would get delayed as channel spacing is an issue which will take long time to resolve technically.

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