ALL INDIA RADIO

Citizens’ Charter
(At a glance)
AIR is committed to:

(i) be an exemplary Public Service Broadcaster,

(ii) uphold and strengthen democratic and secular values,

(iii) promote national integration and harmony,

(iv) inform, educate, entertain, enrich and empower people,

(v) become a powerful tool of social transformation,

(vi) fight with social evils and strengthen social justice,

(vii) provide timely, updated, objective and comprehensive news and views,

(viii) provide a balanced insight on Indian thought, institutions and culture,

(ix) become a truly national broadcaster by covering 100% of the population,

(x) achieve international standards in programme content and signal quality,

(xi) encourage international co-operation,

(xii) have a global reach through internet services and use state of art technology,

(xiii) cover at present about 99.14 % population and 91.79 % area of the country with 231
Broadcasting Centres and 372 Terrestrial Transmitters including 170 FM transmitters
in 24 language & 146 dialects nationally. AIR signals also reach externally to about
108 countries in 27 languages (11 national & 16 foreign).

(xiv) increase transparency and accountability of its functioning by leveraging technology

and through effective use of websites/internet technology.

(xv) acknowledge all complaints within 7 days and reply within 30 days approximately.
__________________________________________________________________
_______
Contact us Grievance Redressal Visit us at
Director General Dy. Director General (Programme www.allindiaradio.org,
All India Radio, Planning & Development), www.newsonair.com,
Room No.102 Directorate General, Information & facilitation
Akashvani Bhavan, All India Radio, Room No.106, counter/
New Delhi-110 001. Akashvani Bhavan, Grievance Officer/
dgair@air.org.in New Delhi-110 001. Head of Office or Station
ddgppd@air.org.in

Note: For more information, please see details of profile, services, contacts, etc., on the website.
________________________________________________________________________
Suggestions/comments, if any, to this Citizens’ Charter, are welcome from any one in India at rbram@air.or.in
and rksingh@air.org.in , within 15 days.

1
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All India Radio

Citizens’ Charter

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Directorate General: All India Radio
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2
 Prasar Bharati
All India Radio
Citizens’ Charter
(Detailed)

This charter is a declaration of the AIR’s vision, mission, roles, objectives, major
targets, services offered, details of it’s business, range of the citizen/customers/clients/
groups covered, grievances redressal & access system, standards followed, business
transacted, importance & values, etc., of AIR, with commitment to achieve excellence in
these as per following:
Sl.No. Contents Descriptions
1 Vision Empower people by developing knowledge based societies through
broadcasting of the high quality messages to inform, awake &
enlighten people freely, truthfully, objectively and with maximum
speed & clarity using state of the art broadcast technology.
2 Mission i. Pay special attention on the overall quality & quantity of the
contents creation/programme coverage & production and the carrier
(signal) transmission of approved quality standards for the human
developmental programme.
ii. Maintain the transparency, promptness and efficiency of the
services for promoting the social welfare, noble cause and
happiness to empower people of all types of the masses (Bahujan
Hitaya Bahujan Sukhaya), etc.
iii. Meet the national challenges by helping to combat social
exploitation & abuses, corruption, poverty, unemployment,
inequality/much disparity, untouchability and other socio-
economic evils. We also help people during disaster & emergency
and the relief works. Our thrust areas are to help people in overall
socio-economic development, bridging the gap of digital divide and
up-liftment of the poor, backward, downtrodden, tribal, villagers,
illiterate, under privileged, unemployed, aged and, aggrieved
people, minorities, vulnerable sections of societies, rural areas, etc.
3 Roles i. Maintain & strengthen its role as a national public service
broadcaster and, provide adequate radio coverage with good quality
signal & sufficient programme to reach the maximum population
and area of India and also abroad in the electronic media
{Terrestrial (MW, SW & FM), Satellite (DTH), Internet medium,
etc.} with the progressive use of appropriate & advanced
broadcast, information & communication technologies.
ii. AIR signal covers about 99.14 % by population & 91.79 % by
area with 231 Broadcasting Centres & 372 Terrestrial Transmitters
including 170 FM Transmitters nationally in about 24 language &
146 dialects. The external services of AIR covers about 108 nearby
countries across the world in about 27 languages (11 national & 16
foreign). AIR has also plan to expand & improve the services in
multimedia in future.
iii. Provide fair & balanced news & current affairs, broadcast
coverage on major events nationally & internationally, political
affairs, sports and games, weather & meteorological data, disaster
data, traffic data, grievances redress system, life style, etc.
iv. Provide popular music (devotional, classical-Indian & Western),
songs and spoken words(important talks, interviews & discussions),
etc., to meet the entertainment and socio-economic needs of the
masses.

3
 v. Provide live & state of the art service on the Internet/Website on
a regular basis for coverage of AIR programme to all parts of the
world including USA, Canada, Pacific Ocean – countries, etc.,
where signals of AIR-External services are not received adequately.
4 Objectives i. To disseminate information freely & without any bias, promotes
education and provide entertainment with a variety of human
development programme in the existing different languages and
dialects spread all over the country and also abroad for enrichment
of the life of the people.
ii. To uphold & promote national unity & integrity, democratic
values and fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India
and, the Indian cultural heritage & the archives.
iii. To safeguard citizens’ rights to be informed on all matters of
public interest by presenting a fair and balanced flow of
information.
iv. To pay special attention to the fields of education and spread of
literacy, agriculture, rural development, environment, health &
family welfare and science and technology.
v. To create awareness about women’s issues and take special steps
to protect the interests of children, aged and other vulnerable
sections of the society.
vi. To provide adequate coverage to diverse cultures, sports &
games and youth affairs.
vii. To promote social justice, safeguarding the rights of working
classes, minorities and Tribal communities.
viii. To develop harmonious atmosphere among the masses of
different religion, caste, gender, community, region, state, border
areas, etc., in the country, and, also promote global harmony for
balance development.
ix. To expand broadcasting facilities and promote research &
development and training in broadcast technology for better
services to the public.
x. To increase transparency and accountability of its functioning by
leveraging technology and through effective use of
websites/internet technology.
xi. Other relevant socio-economic issues in the country in the public
interest.
5 Services i. Provide adequate programme coverage, production &
Offered transmission (in the electronic media, using the audio broadcast
format at present and now developing & planning to start soon the
data, text & multimedia broadcast format in near future) on all the
(Major wings of AIR important socio-economic and overall development related matters
working system are: of the human being residing & moving in India, border areas,
i. Programme, neighboring countries and also abroad.
ii. Engineering, ii. Disseminate information freely & without any bias, promote
iii. News,
education and provide entertainment and, also pay special attention
iv. Admin. and,
v. Civil
on development of science & technology, health & family welfare,
Construction agriculture, social & natural justice, law & order, sports & games,
Wing.) youths, women & children development programme, environment,
humanities, employment & opportunities, etc., including the diverse
cultures of India and also important news, events of public interest
through various development programme prepared in different
languages & dialects of various regions in popular format like
music, songs, features, talks, discussions, drama, interactive
programme, interviews, etc.
4
iii. Provide news & current affairs, coverage on all the major
national & international events, political affairs, social justice, life
style, sports and games, weather & meteorological data, disaster &
emergency data, traffic data, grievances redress system, etc.
iv. Provide adequate broadcast coverage with the existing,
advanced & better broadcast, information and communication
technology. At present, AIR’s terrestrial coverage is about 99.14 %
by population and 91.79 % by area nationally in addition to the
AIR coverage in the neighboring countries (about 108 Nos.). The
Satellite coverage is also across the country except A&N islands.
AIR has 20 channels on the DTH-DD Direct+ platform at present.
The coverage population, area, quality & total Nos. of the channels
shall increase in future. AIR has also planned to have about 20
Internet Channels that may come into operation very soon.
v. Give advertisement for promotion to the various products and
services and, also important issues.
vi. AIR has 231 broadcasting centres/channels with 372 Nos.
terrestrial transmitters including 170 FM, 148 MW & 54 SW
transmitters at present all over the country.
vii. AIR comprises the services of National Channel, Regional
Stations, Local Radio Stations, Vividh Bharati Centres, FM Service
and North Eastern Service at national level and, it has also
External Services at international level to meet the requirements.
viii. AIR has 3 tier broadcasting system nationally, namely; at the
national, regional and local levels.
ix. AIR has broadcasts in 24 languages & 146 dialects all over
India.
x. AIR has an External Services Division operating since 1st
October, 1939. It broadcasts various programmes to cover about
108 Nos. nearby foreign countries by about 24 high power
Transmitters (20 SW Transmitters & 4 MW Transmitters). It has
broadcasts in 27 languages (11 national & 16 foreign) and has
about 58 news bulletins in 26 languages.
xi. AIR has 45 Regional News Units, 28 Up-Linking Centres and 40
Commercial Broadcasting Stations in the country and an AIR
Resource Centre at central level.
xii. Special broadcasts for VVIP (President/PM/ Governor/ CM
etc.) & VIP coverage.
xiii. AIR has its own public websites i.e. www.allindiaradio.org &
http://www.newsonair.com/ for proper communication between the
AIR Network and the Public. It has also an internal website for its
own use and for improvement of the office communication & the
data base management purpose. For knowing more about the AIR
Network, please see the facts at a glance of AIR, AIR Stations,
frequency schedule, popular FM service, mile stones since
independence, who’s who, contact for feedback on the reception
quality and other parts of the website and also the annual reports of
Prasar Bharati-All India Radio of year 2005 and onwards.
xiv. AIR is under Prasar Bharati board which is an autonomous
body under Ministry of I&B, Govt. of India. AIR has a central
headquarter office i.e. DG:AIR office at Delhi, Staff Training
Institute at Delhi, and also has several Regional Staff Training
Institutes located allover India to train & empower the AIR/DD
officials. AIR has an office of Chief Engineer (Research &
Development) at Delhi for effecting improvement & automation in
5
 the services offered to the public. AIR has also 5 zonal Chief
Engineer’s offices and 12 Regional Dy. Director General offices
allover the country for controlling the operation & maintenance
activities more effectively and, further improvement & better
delivery of the broadcast services offered to the public.
xv. AIR makes enough efforts and co-ordinate with other offices
to earn the required revenue for its normal functioning & growth of
the organization after meeting the commitment, duties &
responsibilities with the mission, major goals/targets & objectives
as planned, by the various commercial activities through the
Commercial Broadcasting Services, Marketing Division, AIR
Resource Centre and other possible systems & mechanism from
time to time.
xvi. AIR communicates & helps the masses of all the categories,
casts and religions located in the different geographical areas
including rural, hilly, tribal, backward, mountainous, border areas
and villages, as the signal reaches each and every corner of the
areas along the earth surface & also in the nearby sky areas in the
minimum time and at minimum cost than any other media available
to them.
xvii. AIR helps the large masses during various disasters &
emergency (earthquake, flood, drought, tsunami, cyclone, civil war,
country war etc.) by way of providing fast, authentic and enough
information much conveniently in minimum cost to them.
xviii. AIR provides broadcast training & development functions
through its training institutes (STI/RSTIs etc.) to its own
employees, foreign broadcast professionals/employees and summer
trainees of the colleges, etc., and also arrange various workshop,
seminars etc. in collaboration with BES(India) for the broadcast
awareness and developmental activities.
xix. Other relevant services in the national & public interest and
meeting the priorities, plans & directives from the Indian
Govt./Ministry and Prasar Bharati from time to time.
6 The Citizens/ All the citizens of India, border areas, neighboring countries,
Customers/ large People of Indian Origin (PIO) countries across the world, and
Clients covered also, the broadcasters, broadcast manufacturers & the suppliers, etc.
7 Details of Quality The standards that fulfill and satisfy the masses’ expectations
Standards & are worked out routinely for broader coverage, state of the art
System programme production & the transmission for quality reception
Improvement through better delivery system to the public well in time. It deals in
Mechanism detail with the programme contents, quantity, signal/carrier quality
and the delivery mechanism for better quality programme & the
services to the public. AIR uses international standards
(ISO/IEC/AES&EBU standards and ITU-R
Recommendation/Regulations) and Indian standards (BIS/ISI
Standards & WPC frequency co-ordination), etc., for the whole
AIR network systems like the Studios, Transmitters, Studios-
Transmitter-Links, Uplinks-Downlinks, Power Supply and Air
Conditioning Systems and other relevant items.

AIR provides training; conduct workshop/seminars for better

awareness and broadcast development programme, etc. to train its
own employees for better delivery of the services to the public and
other related people and also students in broadcast related field for
helping them to meet the requirements. AIR has a Planning &
6
 Development Unit to execute various modern & expansion schemes
and the projects and, also have a Research & Development wing for
inducting new technology, automation and further improvement of
the systems of the whole AIR network for delivery of better
services to the public.
8 Details of the It could be worked out at three levels, namely, the concerned
Grievances station level, zonal headquarter level and at the central headquarter
Redress & Access level (DG:AIR, Akashvani Bhavan, New Delhi-110 001). The
Mechanism citizens (clients/customers etc.) can approach to any concerned
officer at any of the three levels as the case level may be. The
Information & Facilitation Counter (IFC) or Head of Office of the
concerned AIR station/office may be approached for getting the
information & necessary help as per the matter. IFC is available
near to the reception counter just after the entrance to the AIR
office complex. Director of Public Grievance at the central level
and/or Grievance officer at the local station/office level may be
approached for the grievance redressal system.

We will promptly acknowledge & reply on your

grievance/complaint, if any, within 30 working days (7 working
days for acknowledgement, and within about 30 to 45 working days
for normal reply and/or other reply). Regarding major/policy/
planning issues at the central level, any one may contact/send
grievance/complaint, if any, to the Director General, Akashvani
Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi -110 001 or CVO, Prasar
Bharati, Prasar Bharati Secretariat, PTI Building, Parliament Street,
New Delhi-110 001. However, for any particular matter of the
central level, following officers at the O/o DG:AIR, Akashvani
Bhavan, New Delhi, may be approached for speedy disposal of the
grievances, if any:

Particular matter Officer may be contacted

related with
Programme Dy. Director General (Programme Planning
& Development),
Directorate General,
All India Radio, Room No.106,
Akashvani Bhavan, Parliament Street,
New Delhi-110 001.
Tele : 011-23421391
Fax : 011-23421632
E-mail: ddgppd@air.org.in
Engineering Chief Engineer (Development), Directorate
General: All India Radio, Room No.107,
Akashvani Bhavan, Parliament Street, New
Delhi-110001. Tele : 011-23421464
Fax : 011-23421967
E-mail: rksingh@air.org.in
News Addl. Director General (News), News
Services Division, Room No.211, NBH, All
India Radio, Parliament Street,
New Delhi-110001.
Tele : 011-23421210,
Fax : 011-23421240,
E-mail: dsmalik_2001@yahoo.com

7
 Administration Dy. Director General (Admin.),
Room No. 209(A), 2nd Floor, Akashvani
Bhavan, Parliament Street,
New Delhi-110001.
Tele : 011-23421110
Fax : 011-23421110
E-mail: pkpathak@prasarbharati.org.in
Civil Construction Chief Engineer (Civil),
Wing Civil Construction Wing,
(Civil & Electrical Soochana Bhavan, Lodhi Road,
Works) New Delhi-110003.
Tele : 011-24367360
Fax : 011-24367360
E-mail: mohindra_sk@hotmail.com

For further details, please visit out website i.e.

www.allindiaradio.org & http://www.newsonair.com. You may
please see the who’s who, feedback on the reception quality,
DG:AIR office at Delhi, Annual Reports/Financial
Reports/Network Growth(Progress), STI & RSTI for training, AIR
Stations, Marketing Division, AIR Resource Centre, Zonal CE and
DDG offices, and other parts of the website.

Under the RTI Act 2005, the APIO, PIO/CPIO/Appellate

authority may be contacted as the case may be, under the grievance
redressal mechanism and the access system. For more details about
RTI, Information and Facilitation Counter may be approached at
the office.

9 List of the related Name of the organization/ministry Websites address

websites All India Radio-Organization www.allindiaradio.org
All India Radio-News Services Division http://www.newsonair.com
All India Radio-Resource Centre http://www.resourcesair.com
Doordarshan http://www.ddindia.gov.in
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting http://mib.nic.in
Press Information Bureau http://pib.nic.in
Broadcast Engineering Consultants http://www.becil.com
India Limited
10 Time frame of Subject Time(Approx.)
redress of the Issue of acknowledgement / interim reply to the 1 week
grievances petitioner
Issue of formal reply to the petitioner 4 week
Forwarding of the grievances / petition to the 2 week
concerned authority
Final disposal of transferred / referred cases by the 3 months
concerned Ministry / Department / State and time
limit for informing the position of the outcome
Disposal of cases referred to the Complaint 3 months
Committee on “Sexual Harassment of Women at
workplace”
11 Compensation We will compensate citizens/customers/clients, etc., by our
System sincere efforts to ensure better maintenance & availability of our
services in time.
12 Expectation of Please interact, suggest, inform and help freely from time to
AIR from public/ time. You may enjoy the AIR services and send your
citizens/ feedback/comments/suggestions, if any, to the AIR authorities/at
customers/clients. Information and Facilitation Counter/suggestion box, etc.
8
13 Expectation of To scrupulously follow the guidelines/rules/procedures to
AIR from its own ensure better services of AIR, etc., as above and, also existing
employees instructions of the AIR/Central Govt./Competent authorities for
better delivery of the standard quality services of AIR to the
public/citizens/ customers/clients, etc., in time.
14 Business Brief report on AIR (at a glance) (Annexure-I, as per Prasar
Transacted Bharati), and the Network Growth of AIR (Annexure-II) are
enclosed. For further details like major
activities/achievements/targets/services, etc., completed in the last
year and facts at glance, please see the Annual Report of AIR.
15 Importance and All India Radio (AIR) has a leading role as a public service
value of All India broadcaster & national service broadcaster. It is the important
Radio (AIR): electronic media, which is the most powerful medium for maximum
reach and conveying information/messages through the of various
human development programme to the large masses in most cost
effective manner. Radio waves reaches to the people at maximum
speed i.e. at the speed of light waves and hence, it is the fastest
means of mass communication. It takes lesser time from coverage,
production to the transmission & reception. It is best suited to the
music, talk, news and other audio programme including data & text
transmission.

It has miraculous power to stimulate & empower the large

masses and excite them for taking immediate suitable action
towards the national development process. It is least complicated,
least expensive, most convenient and very friendly to the
customers/clients. Radio sets are the cheapest & most cost effective
media than any other media for getting the messages/information of
mass communication.

AIR specially helps & provides maximum motivation to the

aggrieved, blind, aged, poor, illiterate, backward, downtrodden, ill
people, and villagers, vulnerable sections of societies, mobile and
alone people, etc. It also helps much to the people in trouble during
disaster (natural/man made calamity).

Note:
1. This charter may be reviewed annually or as and when required or as directed by the competent
authority for further continuous improvement.
2. We are committed to constantly revise and improve the services being offered under the charter
with your cooperation.
3. Let us join our hands together in making this charter a grand success.

Annexure
(For details of business transacted):
I. Brief report of AIR (at a glance) (Annexure-I) and,
II. Network Growth of AIR (Annexure-II).

Suggestions/comments, if any, to this Citizens’ Charter, are welcome from any one in India at
rbram@air.or.in and rksingh@air.org.in , within 15 days.

9
 CHAPTER IV

ALL INDIA RADIO

Radio broadcasting began in India in the early 1920's. AIR is still the most popular media, considering the
The first programme was broadcast in 1923 by the fact that it is assessible even in the remotest parts of
Radio Club of Bombay. This was followed by the our country where any other media like TV or
setting up of a Broadcasting Service that began newspapers cannot reach.
broadcasting on 23rd July, 1927 on an experimental
basis in Bombay and Calcutta, under an agreement Programme objectives
between the then Government of India and a private In its programming and other activities, AIR is guided
company called the Indian Broadcasting Company by its motto "Bahujana Hitaya; Bahujana Sukhaya" i.e.
Ltd. When this company went into liquidation in 1930, to promote the happiness and welfare of the masses
Indian State Broadcasting Service under the through information, education and entertainment. To
Department of Controller of Broadcasts was realize its objectives, AIR has evolved a three tier system
constituted. The Indian State Broadcasting Service was of broadcasting - national, regional and local. It caters
renamed as All India Radio in January 1936. to the mass communication needs of the people
. When India attained independence in 1947,AIR had through its various stations spread across the country.
a network of six stations and 18 transmitters. The They provide music, spoken word, news and other
coverage was 2.5 % of the area and just 11% of the programmes. Local stations meet the area specific
needs of the listeners.
population. AIR today has 222 radio stations and
356 transmitters and its coverage extends to 91.42 %
AIR Code
by area and 99.13 % by population. Operating in a
multi-cultural, multi-linguistic country like India, AIR Broadcasts on All India Radio by individuals will
broadcasts in 24 languages and 146 dialects. In not permit:
External Services, it covers 27 languages including 16
foreign languages. AIR operates its broadcasting 1. Criticism of friendly countries;
services on Medium Wave, Short Wave and FM. The
2. Attack on religion or communities;
FM Service uses a larger bandwidth to provide a
programme service of high fidelity. 3. Anything obscene or defamatory;

4. Incitement to violence or anything against

maintenance of law and order;

Alipore Road Office of All India Radio, Delhi 5. Anything amounting to contempt of court; 35

6. Aspersions against the integrity of the

President, Governors and Judiciary;

7. Attack on political party by name;

8. Hostile criticism of any State or the Centre;

>
9. Anything showing disrespect to the ::I
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Constitution or advocating change in the ~
Constitution by violence.

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 AIR Channels Vividh Bharati

All India Radio operates its services through following The entertainment channel of AIR, Vividh Bharati
channels. service was started in October, 1957, with popular film
music as its main ingredient. It started accepting
i) Primary Channels commercials from 1"1November, 1967. Vividh Bharati
ii) Commercial Broadcasting Service Service provides entertainment for 15hours a day from
(Vividh Bharati) 40 Vividh Bharati stations and four Short Wave stations.
iii) FM Channels
Nearly 85 percent of programming is based on music
iv) Yuva Vani with film music topping the chart. Classical, folk, light
v) National Channel and devotional music are also broadcast. Bulk of the
vi) External Services Channels Vividh Bharati programming originates from Mumbai
vii) Other niche channels which are relayed by other Vividh Bharati stations.
Regional stations also produce and broadcast a few
programmes at specified timings in their respective
Primary channels
languages. Several programmes of Vividh Bharati are
The public service broadcasting channel of AIR, the very popular, with "HelloJaimala"being a top favourite
Primary Channels put out infotainment programmes with the armymen posted at the borders.
with the objective of enriching the lives of their listeners.
FM Rainbow
The Primary Channels, broadcast largely on the
Medium Wave frequency, follow a composite All India Radio operates 13PM Stereo channels in Delhi,
programming mix. They also promote art and culture Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad,
with a major emphasis on Indian classical music. Panaji, Lucknow, Cuttuck, Jalandhar, Tiruchirapalli,
Around 40 percent of total broadcast on primary Kodaikanal and Coimbatore. These channels, called
channels comprises music which includes classical AIR FM Rainbow, provide wholesome entertainment
music, light, folk, film and music of various other to the urban audience with a refreshingly new style of
languages. News and current affairs programmes presentation. Besides music - Hindi, English and
constitute 20 to 30 percent of the broadcast time. Radio regional, the FM Channels also broadcast chat shows,
plays and drama, health and family programmes, helpline programmes, interactive phone- in programmes
programmes on women and children, farm and home etc. The traffic beat and the city weather updates are of
programmes aimed at empowering rural masses are particular interests to metro dwellers.
the other important segments of Primary Channels.
FM Gold
These channels being the most accessible of all the
AIR channels, strive to reach their audience in the A composite news and entertainment channel called
AIR FM II was launched in 2001. The channel is on air
language most understood by all.
for 18 hours a day. These metro FM channels,
36 operational in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai
are now called AIR FM Gold. The programming is a
\0
blend of information and entertainment, with one third
9 of its content devoted to news and current affairs.
.,.,
o
o
M
..... While the hourly news bulletins in Hindi and English
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Qj
originate from Delhi, the FM Gold Channels at the
~
;; other three centers also broadcast news in respective
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= regional languages. AIR FM Gold is positioned as a
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Classic Channel with golden oldies, ghazalsand light
classical music forming part of the entertainment
segment.
~ "

Yuva Vani (Voice of the Youth) The External Services broadcasts follow a composite

The Yuva vani service of AIR provides an enriching pattern and generally comprise news, current affairs

and novel radio-experience by encouraging youth features, review of the Indian press, magazine

participation and experimenting with varied script programmes on sports and literature, talks and

ideas. With shows like 'Mehfil', 'In the groove' and discussions on social, cultural, economic, political and
'The Roving Microphone' which have been around historical subjects. Music of all genres is also broadcast
for more than three decades, Yuva Vani still holds in good measure. The ESD also supplies recordings

a firm ground of its own. Some of the big names on of music, spoken word and other programmes to about

the Indian media scene began their journey with 100 foreign broadcasting organizations under

'Yuva Vani. In Delhi, Yuv Vani is a separate Channel programme exchange arrangements.
(Delhi '0') while other radio stations have a fixed time
DTH
chunk for youth broadcasts.
12 Channels of All India Radio are currently available
National Channel
on Doordarshan's Direct To Home (DTH) service-
The National Channel of All India Radio, in operation DO Direct Plus. The channels are - Vividh Bharati,
since 1988, is essentially a night service that operates AIR FM Rainbow, AIR FM Gold, AIR Hindi,
as "link and information" medium to listeners at odd AIR BangIa, AIR North East, AIR Punjabi, AIR Gujarati,
hours, be it factory workers, farmers, drivers, soldiers AIR Marathi, AIR Telugu, AIR Tamil and
or students. The National Channel has now become AIR Kannada. The programmes include information
a 24 hour channel with day time broadcast on Short and entertainment in equal measure. DTH radio marks
Wave transmission. Vividh Bharati service was a major technological breakthrough, as it makes
introduced in night tansmission from 1st August, 2004. programmes available across the country, as against

External Services

As an electronic ambassador, the External Services

Division (ESD) of AIR has been a vital link between
India and the rest of the world, especially those
countries with substantial ethnic Indian population.
It ranks high among the External Radio networks of
the world, both in reach and range, covering about
100 countries in 26 languages, 16 of them foreign and
10 Indian. AIR through its external broadcasts aims
to keep the overseas listeners in touch with the ethos
of India. The languages in which AIR reaches its
foreign audience are: English, French, Russian, 37
the limited geographic area coverage of medium wave
Swahili, Arabic, Persian, Pashtu, Dari, Baluchi,
transmission. DTH, thus smashes the regional barrier
Sinhalese, Nepali, Tibetan, Chinese, Thai, and Bhasha
which had been hitherto hindering the reach of
Indonesia. The services in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu,
language radio.
Malayalam and Gujarati are broadcast for overseas
Indians, while those in Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi and Amrutha Varshini
Bengali are meant for listeners in the Indian
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Sub-continent. The General Overseas Service (GaS) Amrutha Varshini is a dedicated music channel ::I
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in English, AIR External Service in Hindi and Urdu operational in Bangalore. It aims to promote audience ~
are three major services of the External Services for classical music - both Hindustani as well as
Division. Carnatic.

-.
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News & Current Affairs on AIR
The history of news broadcasting is much older than
that of All India Radio. The first ever news bulletin in
the country went on air from the Bombay Station on
23rd July, 1927 under the Indian Broadcasting
Company. The News Wing of All India Radio came
into existence ten years later in August 1937. News
Services Division located in New Delhi is the hub of
all news and current affairs programming. It is
supported by 44 Regional News Units (RNUs) spread
across the country.
The Home, the Regional and the External Services of
News Services Division put out news bulletins for a
duration of over 44 hours from Delhi and RNUs. More
than 75 news bulletins are broadcast in the Home
correspondents based at Dubai, Kabul, Kathmandu
and Colombo, AIR has 542 part-time correspondents
based at important District headquarters in the
country. NSD also subscribes to the wire services
offered by PTI, UNI and ANI.
In the late nineties, AIR also changed the format of its
news broadcast. AIR News is now more participatory
and lively with the inclusion of actualities and live
correspondents' reports. AIR News is also available
on the net at www.newsonair.com.
Sports Broadcasts on AIR
AIR is the companion of a sports lover on the move.
When cricket is on, it is a common sight to see people
moving around with a portable transistor in hand

Service from Delhi. RNUs put out over 225 bulletins (now also mobile phones), eager to keep themselves

daily in 66 languages/ dialects. News headlines' abreast of the latest score. Not just cricket, AIR has

on -the- hour- every -hour' are broadcast on AIR FM, been in the forefront of providing extensive coverage

Delhi. Regional FM channels also broadcast news for important national and international sporting

headlines at regular intervals. events. Daily sports news in Hindi and English are

'AIR News-on-Phone ' service provides latest news

highlights in Hindi, English or a regional language to
a listener on phone, upon dialing a specified number.
News-on-Phone service is available in Tamil from
Chennai, Telugu from Hyderabad, Bengali from
Kolkata and Marathi from Mumbai. The News-on-
Phone service is being extended to Raipur, Lucknow,
Bangalore, Shimla, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Imphal,
Jaipur and Thiruvananthapuram.

broadcast from Delhi. AIR has been regularly

broadcasting running commentaries on all cricket
matches involving India. It also broadcasts live
commentary of important hockey and football
tournaments and customized radio report on
Wimbledon Tennis Championship.

-... All India Radio and the

o NSD also puts out a number of current affairs
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Indian Classical Music
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correspondents spread all over the country. It has 90 'recorded music' for the consumption of a very
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Recording and broadcasting of music was a part of the In a new initiative that has won laurels for All India
routine of all major radio stations of the Raj period, Radio, the archival recordings are being made available
which included Lahore, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, to the public in the form of CDs and cassettes under the
Travancore and Mysore. brand name' Akashvani Sangeet'.

After independence, All India Radio began to

patronize the musicians of the country. Hence
AIR Programmes and
Akashvani got the opportunity to record, broadcast and
Programme formats
preserve the renderings of all the major musicians. The News, music and spoken word programmes constitute
nation witnessed an integration of a different kind the three major pillars of AIR's programme
when distinct gharanaswere heard all over the country composition. Talks, discussions, interviews are
for the first time. All India Radio today has a collection regularly arranged to provide a forum for all shades of
of more than five thousand hours of Indian Classical opinion on imp'ortant national and international
Music of Hindustani and Carnatic traditions. The issues.
tradition of patronizing classical music has continued
Radio drama is another important ingredient of AIR's
and if the Indian classical music is popular with a
programme as are Radio features and documentaries,
section of today's youth, All India Radio has played a
which employ the entire range of audio formats in a
major part in it.
single programme, e.g., narration, music, drama,
Akashvani Archive interviews, poetry, sound effects, etc.

The sound archive of All India Radio ranks as one of

the finest radio libraries in the world. It has about 50
thousand tapes of different formats, including 12,500
tapes of music. Some of the recordings of the maestros
of yesteryears are rare and unavailable elsewhere.
The sound archive preserves a separate collection of
important voice recordings of eminent national and
international personalities. It also has a separate
reference library of Folk and Tribal Music in all
principal languages and dialects of the country. The
main purpose of the Programme Exchange Units is to
exchange good quality programmes among stations as
per their requirements. Recordings from the archives
are now being transferred to CD format under a special
project funded by the UNESCO.

Educational programmes of AIR cover a wide spectrum

of primary, secondary, tertiary and university levels.

Farm & Home programmes, directed at rural audience

are designed to provide information about different
aspects of agriculture, introduce new techniques of
farming and also create awareness about the ways and
means of improving quality of farmers' lives.

The vast network of 215 radio station across the country

regularly broadcast Family Welfare programmes in the
regional languages / dialects of our country. There are
 , "

full-fledged Family Welfare units in 22 AIR stations to
ideate, conceptualize and produce programmes. The
combined output of all the stations of All India Radio
exceeds 15 thousand programmes every month. They
take various forms like talks, discussions, features,
quiz, jingles, spots, short stories, drama, success-stories,
phone-in programmes, etc. The themes covered include
-age of marriage, delay the first child, space between
two children, terminal methods, maternal care, child
, survival, women empowerment etc.
The afternoon programming chunk is usually reserved
for broadcasting programmes of women's interest.
Major topics covered include socio-economic
development of women, health & family welfare,
food & nutrition, scientific home management, women
entrepreneurship, education, including adult
education, gender issues etc.
All India Radio and children of Indian hinterland
share a special bond since a very long time. AIR
regularly broadcasts programmes which involve active
participation of children. A visit to the AIR studio and
talking into the microphone is a memory these children
cherish for their life. Every primary station of AIR
broadcasts programmes for children in different age
groups, beginning with tiny-tots to adolescents and
potential markets, especially after the Green
Revolution, can not be over-emphasized.
In order to attract advertisers/ clients towards AIR,
Commercial Wing has introduced special rates for its
FM Channels of Southern Zone as well as combined
packaged rates for all FM Channels across the country.
A new bonus scheme for attracting higher business
was also introduced. The Commercial Wing,
alongwith the efforts of Prasar Bharati Marketing
Divisions and the Development Communications
Division, was able to rope in almost all the media-active
Ministries to advertise their schemes and services on
AIR. Several Public Sector Undertakings like BSNL,
MTNL, Indian Oil, lOBI and large private advertisers
are also present on AIR network.
AIR Resources
AIR Resources is a premier broadcast consultancy and
technology solution centre growing at a rapid pace. It
specializes in providing consultancy and turn-key
solutions in the field of broadcasting to Government as
well as private sector organizations. After helping the
private FM players to set up their transmitters in major
cities, AIR Resources has successfully commissioned
Gyan Vani FM Channels on behalf of the IGNOU.

young adults. Every second Sunday of December, AIR

mounts special programmes
International Day of Children
association with UNICEF.
AIR Commercial Service
Museum of Radio and Television
to commemorate the
India's first Museum of Radio and Television has been
Broadcasting, in
set up at the Broadcasting House in New Delhi, with
the aim of preserving the broadcasting heritage of the
country. Opened in 2001, the Museum houses rare

Realizing the role of advertising in supplementing manuscripts of plays broadcast long ago, different
broadcasting budget, All India Radio opened its Vividh musical instruments used by the maestros performing
Bharati Service in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur for spot in AIR studios, broadcast equipments including
40 advertisements in 1967. Encouraged by the different forms of mikes used in the past and even the
old radio sets.
overwhelming response, the service was extended to

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other centres in a phased manner. Advertisements
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began to be accepted on the Primary Service from 1985.
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Q network of All India Radio has proved to be a cost-
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effective advertising medium and several private and
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j Akashvani Annual Awards
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Akashvani Annual Awards were instituted in 1974 excellence. AIR Bangalore hosted the 2004 Akashvani

with a view to promote professional excellence and to Award Ceremony in December

bring out the best from the staff working at various Every year, AIR also gives away awards for Best Radio
radio stations and installations. Awards are given for programmes produced on Public Service topic and
outstanding broadcasts in different disciplines and Gandhian Thought. These awards are given away on
subjects every calendar year. There are special awards 12thNovember every year, which is observed as the
like 'Lassa Kaul Award for National Integration', 'Public Service Broadcasting Day' to commemorate the
award for best special topic documentary, best only visit of Mahatma Gandhi to the AIR Studio in
correspondent award and awards for technical 1947.

Growth of radio audience (Percentage of radio listenership)

Year _Rural
I Urban I

52
2000-01 49

53
2001-02
448

58
2002-03
48

55
2003-04
53

56
2004-05
55

41

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