Phased Out, But AIR Longs For Short Wave

Posted: Thursday, Aug 14, 2003 at 0000 hrs IST
Updated: Thursday, Aug 14, 2003 at 0000 hrs IST

Font Size

Feedback

Discuss

New Delhi: : Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati is on a short wave splurge, contrary to international trends. Even as Prasar Bharati’s radio division—All India Radio—claims to be phasing out short wave (SW) transmission in keeping with government recommendations, its actions indicate otherwise. For instance, AIR installed five transmitters in short wave frequency a few months ago. Officials, however, reasoned that the “new strategy” on phasing out short wave came after orders were placed for these transmitters. Also, purchase of five short wave transmitters was part of the Ninth Plan project, they added.

But that’s not the only short wave drive here. AIR National Channel was revived recently on short wave too. To top it all, AIR is now planning 24-hour news channels for Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Guwahati on short wave! Incidentally, the working group on the information and broadcasting sector for the Tenth Plan had recommended that short wave in analogue mode should be phased out, citing poor reception quality. While officially the word is that “existing transmitters are being used in the best possible manner till their life ends”, insiders are calling the exercise “meaningless”.

AIR Seeks Global Tie-ups

Even as AIR failed to strike a deal with BBC on content-sharing recently, now it is exploring other international arrangements. Preliminary talks are on with foreign broadcasters for giving them Indian transmitters on hire, sources said.
...

Post Comments

Comments: (Limit 3,000 characters)

Name		Message
Email ID
Subject

TERMS OF USE:
The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).

I agree to the terms of use.