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Private FM broadcasters in India may soon be allowed to carry news and current affairs for the first time since the sector opened more than two decades ago. The country’s telecoms regulator has recommended lifting a long-standing ban, potentially reshaping how millions of Indians consume radio.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has proposed that private FM operators be permitted to broadcast up to 10 minutes of news and current affairs each hour, provided the content complies with the programme code set by the central government. Currently, news is restricted to state-owned All India Radio, with private FM stations limited to music, entertainment and brief “information capsules.”
What TRAI is proposing
The recommendation comes as part of a broader report on the future of FM spectrum auctions. TRAI says private FM operators should not only be allowed to broadcast short news segments but also stream their programming online in real-time. However, the regulator has suggested restrictions — stations could simulcast their output, but listeners would not be able to download, replay or otherwise manipulate content.
On licensing, TRAI has called for the annual fee to be delinked from the non-refundable entry fee that broadcasters pay at auction. Instead, it proposes pegging the annual license fee at 4% of adjusted gross revenue. The report also advises lowering reserve prices for spectrum in so-called “category E” cities — smaller markets, often in border or hill states, where FM expansion has been limited.
Why it matters
The move could open a new chapter for India’s radio sector, which has faced pressure from digital audio platforms and changing audience habits. Unlike other markets, especially in democracies, where FM stations typically mix music with news and talk, India has stood apart in restricting news to its public broadcaster. Critics have long argued that the policy reduces media pluralism and limits the role of radio in democratic discourse.
TRAI’s proposal, if adopted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, would allow private broadcasters to diversify their content and potentially attract new advertising revenue tied to news programming.
Industry concerns
Despite the breakthrough, scepticism remains. Some industry voices argue that 10 minutes of news per hour may be insufficient to make it viable for private broadcasters to invest in newsroom infrastructure. Others warn that strict oversight under the programme code, combined with compliance costs, could deter smaller operators.
There are also concerns about how the restrictions on streaming interactivity may affect private FM’s competitiveness in the digital audio space, where on-demand consumption has become the norm.
A long road
This is not the first time the question has been raised. Over the years, various committees and regulatory reviews have recommended relaxing restrictions on FM news, but none have been implemented. Whether the government now adopts TRAI’s recommendation will be the key next step.
For international observers, the change highlights the unevenness of the liberalization of broadcast regulation across markets. While many countries rely on FM radio as a primary source of both music and local news, India has maintained a sharp division between public and private services.
If adopted, the reform could mark one of the most significant shifts in Indian radio since the introduction of the FM sector, with implications for how broadcasters, advertisers and listeners engage with the medium.
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