Domestic newswire agency Press Trust of India (PTI) is working on a plan to start an audio clipping service, given indications that the government may allow FM radio stations to air news and current affairs content from select public broadcasters and newswire agencies.

VS Chandrashekhar, executive editor, PTI, when contacted, confirmed that the agency is working towards starting an audio clipping service. He, however, refused to divulge a time-frame as to when the services may be started, saying that the agency has just started working on the idea.

Asked if PTI intends provide audio bytes to FM radio stations once the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry allows the latter to air news and current affairs content, he said, “It could lead to that”.

Chandrashekhar said that PTI is yet to begin talks with FM radio players. He, however, confirmed that for now, the audio service will concentrate on domestic clients and the content produced will cater to national needs.

The agency is planning to train its reporters for the audio service. Asked if it will go in for fresh recruitments, Chandrashekhar remained non-committal. “We will do so at an appropriate time, if the need arises,” he quipped, adding that it is too early to reveal the style and format of audio bytes.

Newswire agencies catering primarily to the print media started giving out broadcast wire services to commercial radio stations in the mid-1930s. United Press (which became United Press International in 1958 after merging with International News Service) was the first mover in this regard. Today, United Press International and Associated Press serve over 500 broadcast outlets with their audio cuts.

Incidentally English dailies like Times of India and Hindustan Times have representatives on the PTI board of directors. Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd, the parent group that publishes Times of India, and the Hindustan Times group also own FM radio stations, namely Radio Mirchi and Fever 104 FM.

Currently, PTI provides various services apart from newswire service in English and Hindi.

Among others, it provides screen-based stock-scan service, which comprises stock market information from major stock exchanges; news scan service, which focuses on displaying news in capsule form on video monitors. It also has a Data India service, which is as a reference weekly, providing a digest on major domestic happenings.

According to the PTI website, its subscribers include 450 newspapers. It employs over 1,300 people including 400 journalists and has over 80 bureaus across the country. It also has foreign correspondents in major cities around the world, including Beijing, Dhaka, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Islamabad, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, London, Moscow, New York, Washington and Sydney.

Tuning in

• The govt may allow FM radio stations to air news and current affairs content

• When that happens, PTI could provide audio bytes to FM stations

• The audio service will concentrate on domestic clients