[icernet] Radio SOS

[Arul Selvan]

Despite their success, they are suffering heavy financial losses because 
they are required to pay an annual licence fee that amounts to almost 65 
per cent of their operating costs  against the global norm of five per 
cent.

Many analysts have pointed out that entertainment could become an even 
bigger industry for India than software, so can we afford to be cavalier 
about it? Besides, FM radio is the only free-to-air mass medium for the 
common man to access popular culture. By focusing on local languages and 
issues, it ensures cultural diversity in a world that is becoming 
increasingly homogenised  read Americanised. It also creates jobs 
across sectors: when radio channels fare well, so do hardware 
manufacturers, music companies and the movie industry, for whom FM 
channels provide an excellent promotional medium. If the government has 
the will and foresight, then radio has the potential of being the next 
big-bang reform after telecom.

Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=47788008