The Prasar Bharati’s decision to close down All India Radio’s Ananthapuri FM without any notice has come in for sharp criticism from the public as well as leaders of various political parties. Leaders of the ruling Left Democratic Front as well as the Opposition United Democratic Front have shot off letters to the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur as well as Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi demanding the reinstatement of the channel with a wide listenership.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, in his letter to Mr. Thakur, said that the decision has led to the unfortunate dismissal of many dedicated and hardworking casual staff who have served the institution for years.
“Ananthapuri FM holds historical significance as the first FM station in Thiruvananthapuram. It has garnered a massive listener base of 4.5 million people. The station serves as a valuable medium for disseminating information and promoting culture. Any changes that impact its services would have a significant effect on the millions of listeners who rely on it. It is learnt that the station contributes approximately ₹1.5 crore annually. Given its financial viability, accommodating another FM transmitter would not be a burden,” he said in the letter.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] MP A.A. Rahim, in his letter to Mr. Thakur, said that steps should be taken to preserve all public broadcasting stations which take into consideration diverse regional sensibilities.
Financial aid
“Ananthapuri FM has millions of followers. The closing down of such a channel, which has a wide variety of programmes with local content catering to regional sensibilities, can create a cultural and emotional vacuum. Several people who have served the channel for years have lost their jobs. Other jobs should be ensured for them and a special package should be implemented to provide them financial aid,” he said.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, in his letter to Mr. Dwivedi, said that the authorities should refrain from any action that would compromise the identity of Ananthapuri FM as its presence as an independent station is highly valued by the audience.
“In addition to providing the listeners with vital updates on various aspects of daily life, such as traffic advisories, weather updates and water distribution schedules, the channel has served as a platform for popular movie songs. I trust that you will take the sentiments of millions of listeners into account,” he said.
Muraleedharan to raise issue
Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan told presspersons on Sunday that he would raise the issue with the Union I&B Minister.
The Hindu had reported on Sunday that the Prasar Bharati has decided to close down the Ananthapuri FM station and shift the programmes from the Thiruvananthapuram-Alappuzha station, the primary channel earlier available on medium wave (MW), to the FM slot. This resulted in many of the popular music slots in the morning hours, which are played regularly in households, cafes, shops, petrol bunks and taxis, being dropped. Social media platforms witnessed an outpouring of protest from regular listeners against the decision to wind up the popular FM channel.
