[WSIS CS-Plenary] Bangladesh Pre Consultation on 2nd World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) Asia Pacific Conference

[AHM Bazlur Rahman]

The Government of India is working to ensure 4000
Community Radio stations are operational in the next three years
Ms. Ambika Soni - Information and Broadcasting Minister



 

NEW DELHI, India: The government is working to ensure that at least 4000 Community Radio stations are operational in the next three years, Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni said on Friday, reiterating that community radio reaches people at the macro level to understand and resolve their problems.


She also announced that the government was in the process of finalizing the FM Radio Phase III policy soon. She said this was being done "with a view to incentives the introduction of FM radio services in the North Eastern States, Jammu and Kashmir, and island territories, and to further liberalise the regulatory framework to provide for greater diversity of content and bring down operational costs".


Inaugurating the annual BES Expo 2010 organized by the Broadcast Engineers Society (India), she said broadcast engineers must play a crucial role in guiding the best possible options in the carriage of the content to the  public, acknowledging that technology is clearly a growth driver for many  an innovation in Broadcast sector. She also urged broadcasters to ensure that fruits of new technology actually reach the consumer.


The theme of 16th International Conference and Exhibition on Terrestrial and Satellite Broadcasting is 'Broadcasters and new Media Technologies' and it will conclude on 31 January.

Referring to the role of the Government, she said the endeavour of her ministry is to ensure that policy framework and business models are in sync to cater to the consumer interest. "We are guided by the thought that technology neutral approach to policies is the appropriate way. Convergence in technology has to fast become a reality."


The minister also announced that serious thought was being given to devise suitable policies for mobile television. She emphasized that the government was committed to technological improvement/digitalization of the DD network to improve the viewing experience.


As the official broadcaster for telecast of the Commonwealth Games 2010, it would ensure High Definition Television is in place. She added that  digitalization of the Broadcasting Services of Doordarshan/All India Radio  and Cable Services is one of the key thrust areas identified by the Ministry because of the "advantages digital mode offers in terms of  efficient utilization of available spectrum, better quality of picture and services, various interactive and niche services and transparency above all."


She noted that the trend worldwide has been to fix sunset dates for complete switch off of analogue. For more info: http://ow.ly/12dMQ




Bazlu
_______________________
AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR
Chief Executive Officer
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC)
&
Member, Strategy Council
UN-Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN GAID)
 
House: 13/1, Road:2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207 
Post Box: 5095, Dhaka 1205 Bangladesh
 
Phone: 88-02-9130750, 88-02-9138501
01711881647 Fax: 88-02-9138501-105
 
E-mail: ceo at bnnrc.net, bnnrc at bd.drik.net
www.bnnrc.net
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