Eager to ensure widest possible reach for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first radio interaction on October 3, Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry has said that private television news channels, FM radio stations and community radio stations can take the feed from Doordarshan News and All India Radio (AIR) free-of-cost.
The Ministry sent out an advisory to this effect on Monday to the News Broadcasters Association, the Association of Radio Operators for India, Community Radio Association and the Association for Regional TV Broadcasting in India.
According to the advisory, the radio broadcast – titled ‘Man Ki Baat’ – will be carried live on the entire AIR network from 11 a.m. The audio feed with suitable visuals will also be carried by DD News channel. In addition, DD News and AIR will repeat the telecast the same evening at 8 p.m. in all regional languages.
Prasar Bharati has made arrangements for the broadcast to be made available across the Medium Wave, Short Wave and FM networks of AIR, Vividh Bharati and local radio stations which together reached 99.2 per cent of the country’s population.
An Open Forum has been set up on ‘MyGov’ – an online platform which goes with the tagline ‘Good Governance With Your Partnership’ – where people have been advised by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to share their comments and ideas. “Citizens should share ideas and best practices on development, good governance and other issues. The Prime Minister would refer to the Open Forum before the programme and may even refer to some of the points made on the Forum,” a press release issued last week to announce the radio interaction had said.
As per an analysis on the responses received at the Open Forum for the Prime Minister’s Radio Address, 46.18 per cent of respondents suggested that he make this a monthly affair.
According to PMO, the radio interaction was one of the various avenues Mr. Modi was using to connect with the people. He had spoken about connecting with people through radio earlier this month and spent an hour a day after his birthday replying to the greetings he received on Twitter.
