Catching a wave

For the rest, it is increasingly important, now that entertainment content has moved to television and the Internet. It is a bit unfair to expect the Indian industry to go into business with its hamstrings neatly sliced.

Besides, the bogey is a bit out of date. The information revolution has happened in the meantime. In the urban centres which the new FM stations will serve, people have access to various sources of news. Choicehas created mature audiences who know what they want. Let us look at the possible scenarios that the security bogey is based on. First, a foreign power might broadcast propaganda to the Indian masses.

Sorry, but it doesn’t work with FM, which is line-of-sight. Hanoi Hannahs live on long-range low wave radio. The ban on direct investment will prevent foreigners from controlling content in FM. Second, a political organisation might get undue leverage through the radio. Well, if a party can spend more than Rs 1 crore on a radio licence to secure the electorate in one city, maybe the tax authorities should inspect its books. Finally, hate groups might use FM to disseminate their opinions. But there are laws on the statute books already to deal with such a problem.

True, they are redolent of sola topees and eveninger chhota pegs. But as a corollary, they are heavy-handed enough to prevent all excesses, and even some legitimate activities. In the final analysis, a broadcast medium is governed byself-censorship. Every radio set comes equipped with a knob that changes stations like magic. Listeners use it whenever they do not like what they are hearing. The government can rest easy. The security of the teeming millions is in good hands — their own.

On the sunny side, the government’s policy will allow FM radio to perform its most visible function — to inform local communities and bind them closer together. A start has already been made with the most basic urban service, road information. Now, private stations can begin to project the people’s views in what amounts to advocacy directed at local government. In fact, FM radio is likely to become an important channel of interaction between the citizen and the local authorities, which are usually seen to be unresponsive and remote. Nonformal education stands to gain as well.

There are established packages for teaching over the wireless in English. It is only a matter of time before similar products appear in the vernacular. FM will offer localinteractivity and should improve community life. But this measure should be only the first step of a long process of liberalisation of the media.