India 2018

Mass Communication 421
Channels and Programmes
The phenomenal growth achieved by All India Radio through eight decades
has made it one of the largest media organisations in the world. Now, it has
420 stations and 612 transmitters. To serve the communication needs of the
plural society that India is, the network expanded gradually imbibing new
technologies and programme production techniques. All India Radio’s
services are being digitalized.
Objectives
To provide information, education and entertainment, for promoting the
welfare and happiness of the masses (Bahujana Hitaya Bahujana Sukhaya), All
India Radio strives :- (a) to uphold the unity of the country and the
democratic values enshrined in the constitution. (b) to present a fair and
balanced flow of information of national, regional, local and international
interest, including contrasting views, without advocating any opinion or
ideology of its own. (c) to produce and transmit varied programmes designed
to awaken, inform, enlighten, educate, entertain, and enrich all sections of
the people; (d) to produce and transmit programmes relating to
developmental activities in all their facets including extension work in
agriculture, education, health and family welfare and science and technology;
(e) to serve the rural, illiterate and under-privileged population, keeping in
the mind the special needs and interest of the young, social and cultural
minorities, the tribal population and those residing in border regions,
backward or remote areas; (f) to serve the rural population, minority
communities, women, children, illiterate as well as other weaker and
vulnerable sections of the society; and (g) to promote national integration.
Three-Tier Broadcasting
The three-tier system of broadcasting of AIR caters to the information,
education, and entertainment needs of the audiences through its stations in
this country of continental dimension and with a plural society. They
provide news, music, spoken word and other programmes to almost the
entire population of the country, 121.0 crore as per the 2011 census. Its vast
reach especially in the rural and tribal areas make it the primary and
sometimes the only source of information and entertainment.
In National Service the national programmes, which are heard on the
Medium Wave in most parts of the country, cater to the first-tier broadcasting.
Recently, it has started airing on Short Wave also. The regional and subregional
stations provide the second-tier of broadcasting giving the
programmes in the regional languages and promoting regional cultural
facets. In addition, FM Channels at metros cater to the modern needs of the
people primarily the youth. The Vividh Bharati has also been shifted to FM
broadcasting system at 40 places. The 86 stations on FM mode set up to cater
to the needs and tastes of the audiences of small towns in various parts of