AliciaPaschall at 16:26, 2 February 2026

2026-02-02T16:26:33Z

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{{Short description|Type of radio broadcasting in India}}

{{multiple issues|{{More citations needed|date=December 2012}}
{{update|date=August 2017}}}}

'''FM broadcasting in India''' began in 1977; growing popularity after 2001 when the privatisation of FM broadcasting began. AIR's FM LRS (Local Radio Station) was inaugurated on 1 July 2000 at 06:00 in [[Kodaikanal]] relaying Madurai programs in the frequency 100.5 MHz. 100.5 was so popular that LRS was upgraded to an FM Channel in just two months. The channel covered a radius of about {{Convert|200|km|abbr=on}} due to its location at 2200 meters above MSL at Kodaikanal. KODAI FM is popularly known as it is the biggest individual FM channel in India, in both area coverage and listenership.

As of December 2018, there are more than 369 operational private radio stations in more than 101 cities and towns across India.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/Operational%20FM%20rado%20Channels%20city%20wise%20list_0.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=mib.gov.in |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225134639/https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/Operational%20FM%20rado%20Channels%20city%20wise%20list_0.pdf |archive-date=25 December 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Government of India]]-owned [[All India Radio]] which has about 470 FM stations covering 92% of the area and 99.19% of the population of India. [[All India Radio|AIR]] originates programming in 23 languages and 179 dialects.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All India Radio {{!}} Prasar Bharati |url=https://prasarbharati.gov.in/all-india-radio-2/ |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=prasarbharati.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Oppurtunities/Tenders/Documents/06%20AIR%20STATIONS%20HAVING%20FM%20TRANSMITTERS%20191218.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=allindiaradio.gov.in |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225142952/http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Oppurtunities/Tenders/Documents/06%20AIR%20STATIONS%20HAVING%20FM%20TRANSMITTERS%20191218.pdf |archive-date=25 December 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

== History ==
FM broadcasting began on 23 July 1977 in [[Chennai]], then Madras, and was expanded during the 1990s, nearly 50 years after FM broadcasting grew in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://allindiaradio.org/milestone.html |title= Mile Stone|website=allindiaradio.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525235547/http://allindiaradio.org/milestone.html |archive-date=May 25, 2012}}</ref> India first experimented with private [[FM broadcast]]s in [[Goa]] and the large metropolitan areas of [[Delhi]], [[Kolkata]], [[Mumbai]], and [[Chennai]]. These were followed by private stations in [[Bangalore]], [[Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh|Hyderabad]], [[Jaipur]] and [[Lucknow]].

Until 1993, [[All India Radio]], a government undertaking, was the only radio broadcaster in India. The government then decided to privatise the radio broadcasting sector.{{Citation needed|date = July 2015}} It sold airtime blocks on its FM channels in [[Indore]], Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, [[Vizag]], and Goa to private operators, who developed their own program content. [[The Times Group]] operated its brand, Times FM, till June 1998. After that, the Indian Government decided not to renew contracts given to private operators. Instead, in 2000, the Indian Government announced the auction of 108 FM frequencies across India, opening up the FM broadcasting industry to private competition.

[[Radio City (Indian radio station)|Radio City]] Bangalore, started on 3 July 2001, is India's first private FM radio station.<ref name="SAGE">{{Cite journal|last=Sen|first=Biswarup|date=26 August 2014|title=A new kind of radio: FM broadcasting in India|journal=Media, Culture & Society|language=en|volume=36|issue=8|pages=1084–1099|doi=10.1177/0163443714544998|s2cid=143785018}}</ref> It launched with presenters such as Vera, Rohit Barker, Seetal Iyer, Jonzie Kurian, Geeta Modgil, Suresh Venkat, and Chaitanya Hegde and Priya Ganapathy on the weekends.<ref>[[Radio City (Indian radio station)]]</ref> [[The Times Group]] rebranded its radio operations, establishing the [[Radio Mirchi]] brand. The first [[Radio Mirchi]] station began broadcasting on October 4, 2001 in [[Indore]].

Indian policy states that the broadcasters are assessed a one-time entry fee (OTEF), for a license period of 10 years. Under the Indian accounting system, this amount is amortised over the 10-year period at 10% per annum. The annual license fee for private broadcasters is either 4% of revenue share or 10% of [[Reservation price|reserve price]], whichever is higher.

India's earlier attempts to privatise its FM channels ran into rough weather when private players bid heavily and most could not meet their commitments to pay the government the amounts they owed.{{Citation needed|date = July 2015}}

== Content ==
Nationally, many of the current FM broadcasters, including the [[Times of India]], [[Hindustan Times]], [[Mid-Day]], and [[BBC]] are established media institutions in India and are making a strong pitch for news on FM, which is currently limited to nationalized stations only. Private FM stations are allowed to rebroadcast news from All India Radio, as long as they do so without any changes or additions.<ref>{{cite web | title = Control freakery | publisher = The Indian Express | date = Oct 19, 2013 | url = http://www.indianexpress.com/news/control-freakery/1184364/ | access-date = Oct 19, 2013 }}</ref> The Supreme Court of India on 17 October 2013 issued a [[public interest litigation]] to the central government requesting that the rules should be changed to allow FM stations to broadcast news reports.<ref>{{cite web
|title = Why not let private radio stations air news?
|publisher = Hindustan Times
|date = October 17, 2013
|url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/newdelhi/Why-not-let-private-radio-stations-air-news/Article1-1136570.aspx
|access-date = 19 October 2013
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131022070239/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Why-not-let-private-radio-stations-air-news/Article1-1136570.aspx
|archive-date = 22 October 2013
}}</ref>

== Radio stations by location ==
{{update section|date=December 2018}}
{{see also|List of FM radio stations in India}}

===National Capital Region===
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Frequency
!Language
|-
|Radio Jamia (''see [[Jamia Millia Islamia]]'')
|'''90.4 MHz'''
|Multilingual
|-
|[[RADIO 7]]
|90.4 MHZ
|Hindi
|-
|[[University of Delhi|Delhi University]] Community Radio
|90.4 MHz
|Multilingual
|-
|Radio SD 90.8
|90.8 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|[[Radio City (Indian radio station)|Radio City]]
|91.1 MHz
|Multilingual
|-
|[[BIG FM 92.7|Big FM]]
|92.7 MHz
|Multilingual
|-
|[[Red FM 93.5|Red FM]]
|93.5 MHz
|Multilingual
|-
|[[MY Fm]]
|94.3 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|[[Radio One (India)|Radio One]]
|94.3 MHz
|Hindi English
|-
|Hit95 FM
|95.0 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|Apna Radio (''[[Indian Institute of Mass Communication]]'')
|96.9 MHz
|Multilingual
|-
|[[Radio Mirchi]]
|98.3 MHz
|Multilingual
|-
|[[AIR FM Gold]]
|100.1 MHz
|Multilingual
|-
|[[FM Rainbow Lucknow]]
|100.7 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|[[All India Radio JAIPUR]]
|101.2 MHZ
|Hindi
|-
|Amit Bharti
|101.6 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|[[AIR FM Rainbow]]
|102.6 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|[[AIR AlWAR]]
|103.1 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|[[Fever 104 FM|Fever 104]]
|104.0 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|104.8 Ishq
|104.8 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|[[Gyan Vani]]
|105.6 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|[[AIR FM Gold|Vividh Bharti]] (''[[All India Radio]]'')
|105.4 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|Radio Nasha
|107.2 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|Sawai Madhopur FM
|101.5 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|Noida FM
|107.4 MHz
|Hindi
|-
|Gurgaon Ki Awaz
|107.8 MHz
|Hindi
|}
<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=http://trace.bharatiyamobile.com/mobile-fm-radio-stations.php?location= |title=FM Radio Stations in |website=trace.bharatiyamobile.com |access-date=2016-10-31 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.asiawaves.net/india/delhi-radio.htm |title=Delhi Radio Stations on FM, mediumwave and shortwave |website=www.asiawaves.net |access-date=2016-10-31 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://onlineradiofm.org/ |title=Listen FM Radio Stations Online - Radio Mirchi, DevotionalFM Stations|website=www.onlineradiofm.org }}</ref>

===Kolkata, West Bengal===
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*[[Community radio|Radio]] [[Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute|SRFTI]] (90.4 MHz, Available within a 10 Km radius of the film institute)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://communityvoices.in/directory/community-media-profile/1409/|title=Community Media: SRFTI 90.4 F.M., Kolkata, West Bengal | profile by CommunityVoices.in}}</ref>
*[[Community radio|Radio]] [[Jadavpur University|JU]] (90.8 MHz, Available within a 5 km radius of the University, from 11:00 AM to 7:30 PM)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jaduniv.edu.in/radioju.php|title = Welcome to Jadavpur University website}}</ref>
*[[Community radio|Y FM]] NSHM (91.2 MHz, Available within a 10 km radius of the institute, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nshm.com/fm-nshm-community-radio/|title = Home}}</ref>
*[[Friends FM]] (91.9 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[BIG FM 92.7|Big FM]] (92.7 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]] (93.5 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[Radio Nasha]] (94.3 MHz, formerly Radio One) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[Radio Mirchi]] (98.3 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[AIR FM Gold]] (100.1 MHz)
*[[Akashwani Kolkata]] (100.3 MHz) (Bengali)
*[[Vividh Bharati|AIR FM Vividh Bharati]] (101.8 MHz)
*[[Fever 104 FM]] (104 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[Ishq FM]] (104.8 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[AIR FM Rainbow]] (107 MHz)
{{div col end}}

===Asansol, West Bengal===
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*[[BIG FM 92.7|Big FM]] (92.7 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]] (93.5 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[Radio Mirchi]] (95.0 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)

===Siliguri, West Bengal===
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*[[Radio Misty 94.3|Radio Misty]] (94.3 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]] (93.5 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
*[[Radio Mirchi]] (98.3 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
{{div col end}}

===Bolpur Santiniketan, West Bengal===
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*[[Akashwani Santiniketan]] (103.1 MHz) (Bengali, Hindi)
{{div col end}}

===Suri, West Bengal===
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
*[[Community Radio|Gitanjali Radio]] (90.4 MHz Cultural radio station opened in 2024) (Bengali)
{{div col end}}

=== Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh ===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[IIT Kanpur]] Radio (90.4 MHz)
*[[Waqt Ki Awaz]] (91.2 MHz)
*[[Big FM (Indian radio station)|Big FM]] (92.7&nb{{div col end}}sp;MHz)
*[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]] (93.5 MHz)
*[[Fever 104 FM]] (95.0 MHz)
*[[Radio Mirchi]] (98.3 MHz)
*[[AIR FM Rainbow]] (102.2 MHz)
*[[Vividh Bharati]] (103.7 MHz)
*[[Mirchi Love]] (91.9 MHz)
*[[News Channel English]] (105.6 MHz)
*[[Radio City (Indian radio station)|Radio City]] (104.8 MHz)
*[[Gyan Vani]] (106.4 MHz)
*[[AIR FM Gold]] (736 MW)
{{div col end}}

=== Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh ===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[All India Radio|AIR Ayodhya]] Radio (101.4 MHz)
*[[Ayodhya|Awadhi Radio]] (98.2 MHz)
*[[Big FM (Indian radio station)|Big FM]] (92.7 MHz)
*[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]] (93.5 MHz)
*[[Fever 104 FM]] (95.0 MHz)
*[[All India Radio|Radio Ayodhya]] (102.9 MHz)
*[[Vividh Bharati]] (103.7 MHz)
*[[Air|Awadh University Radio]] (96.9 MHz)
*[[Ayodhya|NAG FM]] (106.4 MHz)
{{div col end}}

=== Rajasthan ===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Radio City (Indian radio station)|Radio City]] (91.1 MHz)
*[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]] (93.5 MHz)
*[https://myfmindia.com/] (94.3 MHz)
*[[Tadka]] (95.0 MHz)
*[[Radio Mirchi]] (98.3 MHz)
*[[Radio Selfie]] (90.8 MHz)
*[[All India Radio]] (100.3 MHz)
*[[All India Radio(Jaipur)]] (101.2 MHz)
*[[Mirchi Love]] (104.0 MHz)
*[[89.6 FM Sikar]] (89.6 MHz)
{{div col end}}

=== Ahmedabad, Gujarat ===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Radio Mirchi]] - 98.3 FM (Times Group)
*[[My FM]] - 94.3 FM [[D B Corp Ltd.]]
*[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]] - 93.5 FM (Sun Group
*[[Radio City (Indian radio station)|Radio City]] - 91.1 FM (Music Broadcast Limited)
* [[Radio One (India)|Radio One]] - 95.0 FM (Only Bollywood Retro Station of Ahmedabad)
*AIR Vividh Bharati - 96.7 FM (All India Radio)
*Micavaani - 90.4 FM (Mudra Institute of Communications)
*AIR Gyan Vaani - 105.4 FM (All India Radio)
*Mirchi Love - 104 FM (Times Group)
*All India radio - 100.1 FM
*Radio Nazariya - 107.8 FM (Drishti)
{{div col end}}
*[[Big Fm]] - 92.7

===Hyderabad===
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Frequency (MHz)
!Language
|-
|[[Bol 90.4 FM]]
|90.4
|Multilingual
|-
|[[Radio City (Indian radio station)|Radio City]]
|91.1
|[[Telugu language|Telugu]]
|-
|[[Big 92.7 FM]]
|92.7
|Telugu/Hindi
|-
|[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]]
|93.5
|Telugu
|-
|[[Fever 104 FM|Fever Fm]]
|94.3
|Hindi
|-
|[[Radio Mirchi|Mirchi 95]]
|95
|Hindi
|-
|[[Radio Mirchi]]
|98.3
|Telugu
|-
|[[All India Radio]] (AIR / AIR / Twin Cities FM Rainbow)
|101.9
|Telugu
|-
|All India Radio (AIR / AIR / Vvd Bharti)
|102.8
|Hindi
|-
|[[Kool 104]]
|104
|English
|-
|Gyan Vani
|105.6
|Hindi
|-
|Magic Fm
|106.4
|Telugu
|-
|Radio Charminar
|107.8
|Telugu/Hindi
|-
|Deccan Radio
|107.8
|Hindi
|}

===Mumbai, Maharashtra===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Bansal FM]] 95.5
*[[Vividh Bharati]]
*[[Jago Mumbai]] 90.8
*[[Radio City (Indian radio station)|Radio City]] 91.1 FM
*[[Big FM (Indian radio station)|Big FM]] 92.7
*[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]] 93.5
*[[Radio One (India)|Radio One]] 94.3 (Only English Radio station of Mumbai)
*[[Radio Mirchi]] 98.3 FM
*[[Radio Dhamaal]] 106.4
*[[AIR FM Gold]] 100.7
*[[RAINBOW FM]] 102.2
*[[Fever 104 FM]] 104.0
*[[Oye 104.8]] 104.8
*[[AIR FM Rainbow]] 107.1
*[[Mumbai One]]
*[[Magic FM (India)|Magic FM]] 106.4
*[[Gyan Vani]]
*[[Radio MUST]]
*[[Radio Nasha]] 91.9
{{div col end}}

===Bengaluru, Karnataka===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Radio City (India radio station)|Radio City]] 91.1 FM - [[Kannada]]
*[[Indigo 91.9 FM]] FM - (English, Devotional)
*[[Big FM (Indian radio station)|Big]] 92.7 FM - [[Kannada]]
*[[Red FM (India)|Red FM]] 93.5 FM - [[Hindi]]
*[[Radio One (India)|Radio ONE]] FM 94.3 - [[English language|English]]
*[[Radio Mirchi]] 95 FM - [[Hindi]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Tune-into-Radio-Mirchi-95-FM-for-the-latest-Bollywood-music/articleshow/52115907.cms|title = Tune into Radio Mirchi 95 FM for the latest Bollywood music | Bengaluru News - Times of India| website=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref>
*[[Radio Mirchi]] 98.3 FM Kannada
*[[Ragam]] 100.1 FM (Classical)
*[[FM Rainbow]] 101.3 FM (Kannada, Hindi, English)
*[[Vividh Bharti]] 102.9 FM (Kannada, Hindi)
*[[Fever FM]] 104 FM (Hindi)
*[[Radio Active (India)|Radio Active]] Community Radio 106.4 FM (Kannada, English, Hindi)
{{div col end}}

===Chennai, Tamil Nadu===

Source:<ref name=":0" />
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*AIR FM - RAINBOW 101.4 Multilingual
*AIR FM - GOLD 102.3 Tamil
*Chennai Live 104.8 FM ENGLISH
*Hello FM (106.4), Tamil
*[[Suryan FM |Suryan FM 93.5]], Tamil
*[[Fever 104 FM|Fever FM 91.9]], Tamil
*[[BIG FM 92.7]], Tamil
*[[Radio City (Indian Radio Station)|Radio City FM 91.1]], Tamil
*[[Radio Mirchi |Radio Mirchi FM 98.3]], Tamil
*Radio one 94.3, Tamil
*Anna FM 90.4 Tamil
{{div col end}}

===Kerala state===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*Radio Mattoli FM 90.4, [[Wayanad]]
*[[Radio DC]] FM 90.4, [[Thiruvananthapuram]]
*Radio Macfast FM 90.4, [[Thiruvalla]]
*AIR Real FM 103.6 in [[Kozhikode]]
*Radio Mirchi 104.00 in [[Kochi]]
*[[Radio Mango 91.9]], in [[Kochi]], [[Thrissur]], [[Kozhikode]] & [[Kannur]] & 92.7 in [[Alappuzha]]
*[[Red FM 93.5]] in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kochi]], [[Kozhikode]] & [[Kannur]] & Red FM 95 in [[Thrissur]]
*[[Club FM 94.3]] in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kochi]] & [[Kannur]] & Club FM 104.8 in [[Alappuzha]], [[Thrissur]] & [[Kozhikode]]
*[[Radio Mirchi]] 98.3 in [[Thiruvananthapuram]],
*[[BIG FM 92.7]] in Thiruvananthapuram
*AIR FM Rainbow 107.5 in [[Kochi]]
*AIR Ananthapuri FM 101.9 in [[Thiruvananthapuram]],
*AIR Thiruvananthapuram 106.5
*AIR Thrissur 101.1
*AIR Kochi FM 102.3
*AIR Kannur 101.5
*AIR Devikulam 101.4
*[[AIR Manjeri FM]] 102.7
*AIR Gyan Vani-Kochi 106.5
*Radio Media Village [[Changanacherry]] FM 90.8
*[[Global Radio 91.2 FM]] [[Alappuzha]]
*[[Radio Neythal 107.8 FM]] [[Alappuzha]]
{{div col end}}

== Market view, Jaipur ==
Traditionally, radio accounts for 7% to 8% of advertiser expenditures around the world. In India, it is less than 2% at present.{{Citation needed|date=March 2007}}

The ministry of broadcasting in India is setting up more (86) FM Radio to all parts of India by March 2017.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.radioandmusic.com/biz/radio/air/160328-86-new-air-stations-come-march-2017 | title=86 new AIR stations to come up by March 2017}}</ref>

List of FM Stations in Jaipur:
:1. 94.3 MY FM (Listenership; 18 lacs plus)
:2. 98.3 Radio Mirchi (Listenership; 12 lacs plus)
:3. 104 Mirchi Love (Listenership; 10 lacs plus)
:4. 93.5 Red FM (Listenership; 8.6 lacs plus)
:5. 91.1 Radio City (Listenership; 6 lacs plus)
:6. 95 Tadka (Listenership; 1.4 lacs plus)

== Current allocation process ==
In FM Phase II — the latest round of the long-delayed opening up of private FM in India — some 338 frequencies were offered of which about 237 were sold.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Audio broadcasting}}

[[Category:Lists of radio stations in India]]

FM broadcasting in India - Revision history

AliciaPaschall at 16:26, 2 February 2026