History of Radio in India Broadcasting began in India with the formation of a private radio station in Chennai in 1924.

Timeline Aug 1, 1921 - The Times of India, in collaboration with the Post & Telegraphs Department broadcast a special music programme on August 1, 1921 in Bombay. Amateurs who started radio clubs in Bombay and Calcutta did the early radio broadcasts. 1923- The first radio programme in India was broadcast by the Radio Club of Bombay in June. Nov 1923 - Amateur broadcasting started in India with starting of a Radio Club in Calcutta. June 1924- similar club in Bombay and Madras began transmitting programmes for two and a half hours a day. July 23, 1927- Radio broadcasting in India began when the Indian Broadcasting Company(IBC) inaugurated its first radio station, in Bombay. 1930- Radio broadcasting was done/attempted in Chennai. 1936- Broadcasting was initiated in India by All India Radio. 1939 - All India Radio entered the realm of external broadcasting shortly after the outbreak of II world War. About: All India Radio 1947- AIR had a network of six stations.The coverage was 2.5% of the area and just 11% of the population. AIR today has a network of 237 broadcasting centres with 149 medium frequency(MW), 54 high frequency (SW) and 177 FM transmitters. The coverage is 91.85% of the area , serving 99.18% of the people. AIR covers 24 Languages and 146 dialects in home services. External Services Division AIR started a service in Pushtu for listeners across the country's North West Frontier.

 The service was designated to counter radio propoganda from Germany, directed to Afghanistan, Iran and Arab countries. The External Services Division of ranks high amongst the External Radio networks of the world, both in reach and range. With 55 transmissions daily it covers over 100 countries in 27 languages, out of which 16 are foreign and 11 are Indian. Vividh Bharati Vividh Bharati radio channel was launched on October 3, 1957. It was conceptualized to give competition to Radio Ceylon in 1957. Today, there are 40 Vividh Bharati stations across the country. These stations are known as Commercial Broadcasting Service Stations and are located at all major and commercially vibrant cities. It covers 97% of the Indian population. Commercials were introduced initially in the Vividh Bharati Service in the year 1967 on an experimental basis. Realising the role of advertising in accelerating the social and material progress of the country, commercials were extended to Primary channels including FM & Local Radio Stations. Advertising on Radio is not only cost effective to the advertisers but also has the potential to reach far flung areas where no other mass media reaches. AIR had been receiving advertisements through its registered agencies only. With the changing demand of the environment, direct clients are also entertained by all AIR stations. In remote and far flung areas, canvassers are appointed for bringing in local business. It presents a mix of film music, skits, short plays and interactive programmes. Some of the old popular programmes of Vividh Bharati are 'SANGEET SARITA', 'BHULE BISRE GEET', 'HAWA MAHAL', 'JAIMALA', 'INSE MILIYE', 'CHHAYA GEET' etc. Many of them are still distinctly recognized by the listeners.

Frequency Modulation It Was invented by Edwin Howard Armstrong. Signal robust against Noise. High frequency and fidelity radio transmission is achieved. Can be better targetted for close neighborhood.

FM Service of AIR FM service of AIR has two channels FM Rainbow FM Gold. There are 12 FM Rainbow channels and 4 FM Gold Channels. The programme content of these channels is mainly popular Indian and Western music, compered in a vivacious and contemporary style and therefore highly popular with the urban youth. News bulletins and current affairs programmes are also broadcast from these channels. FM Rainbow Stations Banguluru Chennai Coimbatore Cuttack Delhi Jalandhar Kodaikanal Kolkata Lucknow Mumbai

 Panaji Tiruchirapalli FM Gold Stations Chennai Delhi Kolkata Mumbai News Service Division Akashwani is one of the major broadcasting organizations in the world. The News Services Division (NSD) of All India Radio disseminates news and comments for listeners in India and abroad. From 27 news bulletins in 1939-40, AIR today puts more than 510 bulletins daily in 82 languages/dialects in the Home, Regional and External Services. Out of these, 89 bulletins are broadcast daily from Delhi in the Home Service in English, Hindi and other Indian languages. The 44 Regional News Units (RNUs) putout 355 daily news bulletins in 67 languages. This includes news bulletins mounted exclusively on FM Gold channel from 22 AIR Stations. In addition to the daily news bulletins, the News Services Division also mounts everyday a number of news-based programmes on topical subjects from Delhi and some other Regional News Units. The real breakthrough in news broadcasting came after January 1936 when the first news bulletin from the Delhi Station went on the air on January 19, 1936 Besides, news bulletins in English and Hindi, talks on current affairs were also started from the Station in both the languages. The Central News Organization was set up on August 1, 1937. Mr. Charles Barns took charge as the first News Editor in September and he later became the first Director of News. The outbreak of the II World War in 1939 gave an impetus to the development of the Organization.

 After Independence, news broadcasts of AIR grew both in quantity and quality. More emphasis was laid on national and regional news bulletins. 3 Tiers of Radio Broadcast National Broadcast Regional Broadcast Local Broadcast National Broadcast National channel of All India Radio started functioning on May 18, 1988. It caters to the information, education and entertainment needs of the people, through its transmitters at Nagpur, Mogra (West Bengal) and Delhi beaming from dusk to dawn. It transmits centrally originated news bulletins in Hindi and English, plays, sports, music, newsreel, spoken word and other topical programmes, to nearly 76% of the country's population fully reflecting the broad spectrum of national life. Regional Broadcast The Regional Stations in different States form the middle tier of the broadcasting. It is region- specific Eg: North-Eastern Service at Shillong disseminates the vibrant and radiant cultural heritage of the North-Eastern region of the country. Local Broadcast Local Radio is comparatively a new concept of broadcasting in India. Each of the station serving a small area provides utility services and reaches right into the heart of the community, which uses the microphone to reflect and enrich its life. Eg: Jims Raaga, Apna Radio (IIMC), Radio Jamia etc.