Tuesday, April 28, 2009

AIR Alappuzha to have FM, DRM stations

Sajimon P S
First Published : 28 Apr 2009 01:02:00 AM IST
ALAPPUZHA: The Union Government is planning to set up the first Digital Radio Broadcasting Station, Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), in the state and an FM radio station at Pathirapally near here. Both these stations here are expected to start soon. If they materialise, it will be the second Digital Radio Broadcasting Station in India and the first FM station here respectively. The project has already been included in the XI Five-Year Plan. At present, the All India Radio here is the highest power transmitting station in the state with a capacity of 200 kw. However, now the station relays the programmes from Thiruvananthapuram and New Delhi stations only.
P R Shaji Assistant Station Engineer, AIR, Alappuzha told Express that it was three years ago that they had submitted a proposal for setting up an FM station here. "After submitting the proposal, we have approached all the top officials of the AIR many a time and they have given us a positive reply,'' he said. "A Detailed Project Report(DPR) will be prepared soon by AIR's Planning and Development Cell, New Delhi, for setting up the stations here. The DRM system has near FM sound quality plus ease-of-use that comes from digital transmissions. The listeners, who have a digital receiver can enjoy the service," said the officials concerned. "At present, Alappuzha has no FM stations as its own either in private sector or in government sector. So an FM station especially in government sector will have a good scope here and it will also increase the income of the AIR. The people can also listen to the programmes of the FM station through their mobile phones. However, at present the people are unable to enjoy the programmes of Alappuzha station through their cellphones as it broadcasts the programmes in MW," Shaji said.
Both the new stations will be set up in the land of the present Transmitting Radio Station, which has around 33 acres of land of its own. The FM station will have 10 kw power and a coverage of 50 km at the primary level. At present the Alappuzha station does not possess either a studio or a production wing. The AIR has started its first digital broadcasting station in New Delhi in 2008 as a pilot project and it is a very successful one. It was in 1971 that the AIR Transmitting station was commissioned in Alappuzha with a capacity of 100 kw power. In 1999, the capacity was increased to 200 kw.

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