MUMBAI: A common issue faced by community radio stations, day in and out are ‘frequency clashes’. Stations across India are given same frequencies and nobody pays any heed to this issue. The station owners are left with no option but to keep knocking the big doors that refuse to solve the problem.
Hyderabad-based community radio station in Radio Charminar is currently going through a similar situation. The station has been facing frequency clashes with Deccan Radio which is placed at an aerial distance of three km. The two station share frequency 107.8 FM. A complaint has been lodged and the government officials have also inspected the issues but all they say is, ‘we need time’.
Radio Charminar station head Abdul Samad said, “It has been six months since we lodged a complaint, all we can do is wait for their answers. It is causing trouble for both of us as the listeners are unable to listen to any of our radio stations in the frequency clash areas.”
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The clashed areas are business surrounded places namely Koti, Afzalgunj, and Nampally. Since these radios are unable to serve the business audience, it is directly affecting their overall revenue.
“Whenever we ask for local ads, nobody entertains us. They say there is a lot of disturbance on the frequency, so why should they give us ads. Community radios anyway do not get many local or government ads. Then how are we suppose to survive,” asked Abdul Samad.
Radio Charminar was launched in 2015 whereas Deccan Radio was launched nine years ago. Unfortunately, Radio Charminar was launched around the period that was an inactive span for Deccan Radio. The radio station had certain technical issues that they were trying to sort. Thus, Charminar faced no frequency issues in the initial days. The frequency clash occurred only after Deccan got back in the picture.
Now, Radio Charminar can be heard in the frequency clash areas only in absence of Deccan Radio. There is clarity when Deccan Radio goes off. Radio Charminar airs from 8 am to 10 pm every day, whereas Deccan Radio has no fixed time.
