FM radio faces 4 complaints for use of obscene or vulgar language

NEW DELHI: Four complaints were received for use of vulgar or obscene language by private FM radio channels between 2007 and 2011.

Of these, one complaint was filed by the Cabinet Secretariat against Red FM for use of derogatory remarks against the Gorkha community in September 2007, and the channel had apologised following a January 2009 order of the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal (Tdsat) and carried for a week in March that year.

There were two complaints against Radio City 91.1 FM, one in August 2010 for illicit content by the Bangalore station, for which an advisory was issued to the channel for strict compliance of the Grant of Permission Agreement. The other complaint in February 2011 related to Delhi station of the channel carrying indecent remarks about nurses, and the channel was cautioned to be careful to the sensibilities of various sections of society.

The fourth complaint was against Radio Fever FM 104 in May 2009 for use of obscene words, and a warning had been issued to the channel.

The Government says that FM radio stations are governed by the All India Radio?s Code for Commercial Broadcasting. There is no pre-censorship, Information and Broadcasting Ministry.