On 22nd March 2023, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released its Recommendations on ‘Issues related to Community Radio Stations’.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), through its references issued on 11th November 2021 and 17th January 2022, requested the Authority to provide its recommendations under sections 11(1)(a)(ii) and 11(1) (d) of the TRAI Act, 1997 on the following mentioned issues –
- Inclusion of not-for-profit companies, registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013, in the list of eligible organisations.
- Increasing permission period from the current period of 5 years to 10 years.
- The maximum duration of advertisement per hour of broadcast on CRS.
- Number of CR Stations operated in each district of operation by NotFor-Profit organisations operating in multiple districts.