NEW DELHI: Projects are underway at 165 stations of All India Radio (AIR) all over the country to digitize the signals.
A budget of Rs 9.0812 billion had been allocated out of a total allocation of Rs 9.342 billion approved for this purpose in the Eleventh Plan. The outlay in the twelfth plan is under finalization, AIR sources said.
Earlier, a senior official of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry had told Radioandmusic.com that it had prepared a proposal for Rs 8 billion to AIR for completing digitization.
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Production facilities are being digitized at 98 centres to further enhance the reach of medium wave band transmissions of AIR. The digitization includes replacement of existing equipment with DRM technology.
AIR sources told Radioandmusic.com that despite the growth of FM Radio, medium wave is being received by 98.41 per cent of the population and 90.63 per cent of the area.
The MW transmissions are being provided through 146 MW transmitters of various capacities, the sources said.
In an effort to improve the transmission, the sources said 17 transmitters had recently been replaced by digital compatible transmitters.
The digitization includes installation of new transmitters at two places, replacement of old transmitters by new digital transmitters at 31 places, upgradation of old transmitters by new digital transmitters at five places, digitization of existing compatible transmitters at 36 places, and digitization of connectivity and linkage at all places.
Digitization of AIR would help provide better quality signals to listeners through digital terrestrial transmission; digital transmitters will be able to carry multiple channels and so new programmes can be broadcast all with the existing channel on the same transmitter; digitization of studio and connectivity would improve the technical quality and efficiency of programme production; digitization of archives would help preserve the content for a longer period and enable access to heritage programmes; and save power consumption on transmitters.
