The birth of Radio broadcasting in India has started on an
experimental basis in the year 1921 when Times of India in
collaboration with Post and Telegraph Department broadcasts a
musical programme . Sir George Lloyd put forward this request to
those concerned companies. In 1927 private radio clubs proliferated.
In the year 1930 radio broadcasting started operating under the
Indian Broadcasting Company. However, the company went into
liquidation after a span of three years and the Government took the
charge of broadcasting at their own expense. On March 1935 a
separate office of the Controller of Broadcasting was created .The
landmark in the history of broadcasting is the change of the name of
the Indian Broadcasting to All India Radio (AIR) in the year 1936.
In the same year Delhi station was formed.
From 1936 onwards the
development of radio broadcasting was sluggish but steadfast. Nine
AIR stations opened up in different places like Delhi, Calcutta,
Bombay, Madras, Lucknow and Tiruchi. From 1957 onwards AIR was
popularly known as Akashvani. Eminent personalities had lent their
voices for radio broadcasting. On 12th November, 1947, the voice of
Gandhiji was broadcasted in AIR.
Keeping in view the motto,
"Bahujan Hitaya; Bahujan Sukhaya" i.e. the benefit and happiness of
large sections of the people, AIR aims to provide information,
education and entertainment. It has defined its objectives in the
following:
1. Preserve the country`s unity and the
democratic values as shrined in the Constitution; 2. Present a
reasonable and equilibrated flow of data of national, regional,
local and international concern including contrastive views.
Citation of any opinion or ideology of its own should be avoided.
Integrity of the whole nation should be respected. Variety in
broadcasting should be incorporated. 3. Develop programmes which
can arouse, communicate, elucidate, train, entertain and improve to
satisfy all the audiences through out the nation. 4. Formulate
different programmes for broadcasting, keeping in mind all sections
of people of the nation. 5. Prepare developmental and reference
programmes on various fields like Agriculture, Education, Health and
Family Welfare , Science and Technology. 6. Prepare programmes
for rustic, illiterate and poor population including the youths ,
social and cultural minorities, the tribes and of those occupying
the borders , backward or distant areas. 7. Encourage
consolidation and harmony of the nation.
AIR today has a
network of 223 broadcasting centres with 143 medium frequency(MW),
54 high frequency (SW) and 161 FM transmitters. It encompasses an
area of 91.42% serving 99.13% of the people in India. AIR covers 24
Languages and 146 dialects in home services.
Over the years
the radio broadcasting has expanded its service both in terms of
reach and content suitable to the requirements of the nation. A
three- tire system has been introduced. The national Channel was
formed on 18th May, 1988 . It is located in New Delhi and it
suffices national broadcasting. Hourly news bulletins ,
alternatively in Hindi and English are broadcasted from the national
Channel. Major stations look after the regional broadcasts. Local
radio stations are formed in different areas and they are now more
than eighty in number.
AIR`s services and programmes too
have expanded in leaps and bounds. Till date these include News
Services , Cultural Programmes, Extension education services,
External services for foreign countries.
NSD produces news
and comments both for Indian and foriegn audiences .It produces 112
bulletins in 17 languages emanating from Delhi and are transmitted
to other stations.45 Regional News Units brings forth as many as 187
regional and 65 external news bulletins. The External News
bulletins, are being brought out in 25 languages. Spotlight` in
English and `Samayiki` in Hindi are the daily broadcasts covering
current and local news. Programme on current affairs is disseminated
every Sunday. It incorporates comments of experts, teachers
politicians on national and international matters .Besides it
broadcasts "Charcha ka Vishai Hai", programme in Hind ,on every
Wednesday;There are composite news programmes called "Samachar
Prabhat" and "Morning News" in Hindi and English respectively. They
are of duration of 15 minutes each incorporating a news bulletin, a
commentary, and reviewing of daily press . An mid day news of one
hour is broadcasted from 2 p.m. News is also available on the
Internet. The News Services Division has its own website for
updating News round the clock.
In External services, it
covers 27 languages; 17 national and 10 foreign languages. Moreover
programmes for rural folks, army personnel , sports , musical
programmes are broadcasted to meet the thirst of its target
audiences.
Although there are ample scope to transmit radio
programmes of varied content and presentations, radio is considered
solely to be a medium for developmental broadcasting.
The birth of Radio broadcasting in India has started on an
experimental basis in the year 1921 when Times of India in
collaboration with Post and Telegraph Department broadcasts a
musical programme . Sir George Lloyd put forward this request to
those concerned companies. In 1927 private radio clubs proliferated.
In the year 1930 radio broadcasting started operating under the
Indian Broadcasting Company. However, the company went into
liquidation after a span of three years and the Government took the
charge of broadcasting at their own expense. On March 1935 a
separate office of the Controller of Broadcasting was created .The
landmark in the history of broadcasting is the change of the name of
the Indian Broadcasting to All India Radio (AIR) in the year 1936.
In the same year Delhi station was formed. 
