Saturday, November 04, 2006

Digital Broadcasters | India | Radio One Loses Frequency Dispute

You may recall reading recently in Digital Broadcasters Vendor News the case in India of FM Radio Station, Radio One fighting the Broadcast tribunal, TDSAT over being moved from its established radio frequency 92.5 FM in Mumbai.

Radio One lost its case. A Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal Bench in New Delhi ruled that the Mid Day Group station had not had its brand image hurt by a forced move to 94.3FM in a re- alignment for broadcast groups to operate on the same frequency in each city they operate.

The government’s decision to allot 94.3 Mhz frequency to Radio One in five other cities — Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Kolkata, was not challenged, just Mumbai an established operation of four years.

The government had, in June 2006, asked radio One to vacate the 92.5 frequency as part of the second phase of Policy on Expansion of FM Radio Broadcasting Services through Private Agency.

Radio One’s contention was also opposed by rival Adlabs, which runs Radio Big on 92.7 Mhz on the grounds that under the new policy of FM expansion the frequency of 92.5 Mhz was not available and the Mid Day Group channel would anyway have to shift frequency.

Now, there are 36 broadcasters for 87 cities in the second phase in 2005 and frequencies had to be adjusted, the bench observed and said the frequency change was part of changes in the system.

Radio One was criticised for its approach to the Tribunal as too late in the day.

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