Why is Akashvani not audible in South India ?

Deepasree Venugopal - Televisionpoint.com | Hyderabad
All India Radio (AIR), the world's largest radio network with 385 transmitters and broadcasting in 89 languages, does not have a dedicated national channel that reaches the entire country.

Though there is a 1,000 kw medium wave transmitter in Nagpur which is supposed to relay the national programmes under the brand name Akashvani, it is not audible in any of the South Indian states. Also, topical programmes like Radio News Reel, Current Affairs and Live Radio Bridge are not available in the southern states.

Most countries beam their national radio programmes to other countries. Stations like BBC, Radio Beijing, Radio Pakistan, Moscow Radio, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Radio Sri Lanka are more popular than AIR.

"AIR is constrained by financial crunches and other infrastructure shortages. We should have a series of transmitters to relay the national programmes, and are also handicapped by manpower problems," says P. K. Bandhopadhyay, director general, news, AIR.

Bandhopadhyay said that though there was a proposal to set up a national radio channel, it would take time. "I cannot tell you when it will materialise. It may take years. Resources are our main handicap," he added.

When it was pointed out that Doordarshan, a late entry, had interlinked all its stations through satellites, he said a process like that would need enormous funding.

Doordarshan's national channel is available across the country through terrestrial transmitters and cable TV network. "They have 160 FM transmitters across India. These stations could be networked with the INSAT transponders to form a national channel," said a senior ISRO official.