Private FM radio companies may be headed for trouble with the information and broadcasting ministry all set to issue warnings to a few of the big players for ?violating? norms on carrying news and current affairs programmes on air.

An official source told FE that the ministry had taken a serious note of the broadcast of news and current affairs programmes, including those on cricket and markets, by private radio channels ?often under the guise of infotainment? and has decided to take action against them. ?We have decided to issue warnings to a few of the big radio operators,? the source said. However, officials declined to name the companies concerned.

To drive home its point, the source said, the ministry has made a recording of some of the programmes that have been found to be in violation of the guidelines. ?We made a detailed examination this time and are sure that channels would pay heed after these warnings,? the source said.

While the government has liberalised the private FM radio sector, allowing 20% FDI as well as a revenue share regime, it has still not opened the sector to news and current affairs.

I&B minister P R Dasmunsi had recently said the government was looking at ways to allow news and current affairs on private FM channels, provided a ?monitoring mechanism? was in place. ?We do not directly oppose broadcasting of news and current affairs on FM radio but we may have to find a selective monitoring mechanism,? he has said.

The source said the warning to the radio channels would also cover programmes aired around cricket. ?We feel that cricket falls under the current affairs category and any programmes centered around existing series are in violation,? the source said.

Interestingly, Dasmunsi had earlier also indicated that the government was not averse to considering allowing private operators air cricket commentary on their channels.

The government?s displeasure against the operators stems from the fact that many of them have interspersed their programming with news on areas like stocks, sports or other topical events, though not as bulletins. Industry observers feel that entry of many media groups into the FM radio space has seen a rise in airing of such programmes.