MUMBAI: The Association of Radio Operators of India (AROI) has announced the formation of an Advisory Committee for creation of self-regulatory Content Code for private FM radio broadcasting in India.
Ensuring that the collective interests of radio broadcasters in India are adequately represented, AROI’s draft guidelines for the self-regulatory Content Code would be presented to the committee instituted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for consideration while formulating the report on the Content Code to the Central Government.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had constituted a committee to review the existing Programme and Advertising Code in October, 2005. This Committee, consisting of representatives of broadcast organizations, civil society groups and consumer forums compiled a draft Content Code for self-regulation.
This Code was made available in the public domain for feedback from various stakeholders / organizations. Broadcasters like Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and News Broadcasters’ Association (NBA) since then have been engaged in framing a self-regulatory Content Code of their own. This recommended self-regulatory Content Code and grievance redressal mechanism would then be made available to the Ministry for consideration while formulating the report to the Central Government.
AROI recently concluded their first annual general meeting, which saw the completion of elections for the Governing Board wherein almost all positions were elected unanimously.
The national governing board is spearheaded by Radio City CEO Apurva Purohit, who is the first elected president. The board also comprises four senior vice-presidents namely BIG FM COO Tarun Katial, Red FM CEO Abraham Thomas, Jagran Radio director and project head Rahul Gupta and ENIL CEO Prashant Pandey. India Today Group general manager commercial Uday Chawla would serve as the secretary general to this board.
The way forward on the formation of AROI’s Advisory Committee would be discussed as part of the agenda over the next subsequent meetings of AROI’s governing board.
