The Government of India through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (“MIB”) has decided to open up Phase - III of FM Radio Broadcasting to private participation with the objectives of attracting private agencies to supplement and complement the efoorts of All India Radio by operationalizing radio stations that provide programmes with local content and relevance, improve the quality of fidelity in reception and generation, encouraging local talent and generating employment, by means of ascending e-auction for first batch of FM Phase - III Radio Channels. The first batch of FM Phase – III comprises of 135 channels in 69 existing cities of Phase – II. The Simultaneous Multiple Round Ascending e-auction process will be carried out for allotting the FM channels.
In cities where it is a vacant channel of Phase – II or an additional channel is proposed and CTI has been created by BECIL, Co-location at the site already chosen and utilization of CTI already created by BECIL will be mandatory. BECIL, the system integrator for providing the common transmission infrastructure in existing 69 cities of Phase – II will sign Project Management Agreement (PMA) with each successful LOI holder under FM Phase – III (Batch – I) to provide the Project Management Services to build, install, commission and complete the CTI. The estimated cost and share of each LOI holders will be worked out at a later stage and will be mentioned in the PMA before signing the agreement since the cost of various equipments will depends on various parameter like freq., power handling capacity etc. The format of Project Management Agreement is being attached for the information.
