The Government has short listed 70 companies who can put in their financial bids in the second round of auction for setting up FM radio stations in the country. Among the prominent companies that feature in the list include Adlabs Films Ltd., Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Ltd., HT Media Ltd. and TV Today Network Ltd.
The 70 companies will be vying with each other to set up FM stations in 91 cities in the Phase II of FM radio expansion by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The list may be further expanded, the I&B Ministry said in a statement posted on its Web site.
"The financial bids would be obtained and opened in January-February 2006 as per the schedule already notified in the tender document. The applicant companies are also being informed individually", the I&B Ministry said.
The Ministry had invited pre-qualification bids for 338 FM stations in 91 cities for Phase II expansion of FM radio broadcasting services on September 21. The deadline ended on November 11.
The Government has formally allowed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of up to 20% in FM radio companies, following up on the liberalized investment policy announced on June 30.
One hundred companies had expressed their intent to start FM radio operations in India, but 30 seem to have either fallen by the way side or are yet to fully satisfy the authorities.
The government today announced the first list of 70 applicant companies that have qualified for financial bids for the second phase of FM Radio, which was outlined earlier this year.
A notable absentee in today's list is an existing radio operator that has received the Foreign Investment Promotion Board's clearance for investment up to 20 per cent by a British broadcaster.
Yet another existing FM player Music Broadcast Pvt Ltd. (MBPL), which runs the brand Radio City, is also absent from the list. When quizzed on this, the company's official spokesperson says,"It is too premature to comment. Only the first list of probables for the second phase is out."
Prominent among those who have qualified for financial bidding in the second phase are Subhash Chandra's Pan India Network Infravest Pvt Ltd, HT Music and Entertainment company, Asianet Communications, Malayala Manorama and Bag Infotainment. Another major player set to make a foray into the FM radio sector is Anil Ambani whose Adlabs Films has qualified for the bid.
Among the existing operators, Radio Today Broadcasting has also made it to the list.
The financial bids would be obtained and opened for scrutiny in January/February 2006 as per a schedule already notified in the tender document.
The government had invited pre-qualification bids on 21 September, 2005 for expansion of FM Radio broadcasting services through private companies in 90 cities for over 300 frequencies.
The bids have been evaluated as per eligibility criteria, the information and broadcasting ministry said today.
1 M/s Malayalam Communication Ltd.
2 M/s Raj Television Network Ltd.
3 M/s Creamline Dairy Products Ltd.
4 M/s Gwalior Farms Pvt. Ltd.
5 M/s Swar Sudha Cassettes Industries Pvt. Ltd.
6 M/s PCR Warehousing Ltd.
7 M/s Neutral Publishing House Ltd.
8 M/s Tarun Bharat Multigraphics Pvt. Ltd.
9 M/s Eastern Media Limited
10 M/s Indogo Mass Communications
11 M/s Arya Communications & Electronics Services Pvt. Ltd.
12 M/s Pan India Network Infravest Pvt. Ltd.
13 M/s Charhdikala Publications Private Limited
14 M/s Noble Broadcasting Corporation Pvt. Ltd.
15 M/s CMR Agro & Broadcasting Services Pvt. Ltd.
16 M/s Purvy Broadcast Pvt. Ltd.
17 M/s Oral Metronet Limited
18 M/s HT Music and Entertainment Co. Pvt. Ltd.
19 M/s Ananda Offset Private Limited
20 M/s Adlabs Films Ltd.
21 M/s Pudhari Publications Private Limited
22 M/s The Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd.
23 M/s Sanmarg Pvt. Ltd.
24 M/s Sri Adhikari Brothers Media Limited
25 M/s Sri Adhikari Brothers Films Division Ltd.
26 M/s Kal Radio Pvt. Ltd.
27 M/s South Asia FM Pvt. Ltd.
28 M/s Adi Shakti Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
29 M/s Century Communication Ltd.
30 M/s Rajasthan Telematics Ltd.
31 M/s Shri Puran Multimedia Ltd.
32 M/s Santa Banta.com Ltd.
33 M/s Sapad Holdings Limited
34 M/s Rancka Fincom Private Ltd.
35 M/s Jay Bee Energy Pvt. Ltd.
36 M/s Ushodaya Enterprises Ltd.
37 M/s Asianet Communications Ltd.
38 M/s Malar Publications Pvt. Ltd.
39 M/s Shaf Broadcast Pvt. Ltd.
40 M/s Devyani Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
41 M/s BAG Infotainment Private Limited.
42 M/s Rajasthan Patrika Private Limited
43 M/s Plasmix (P) Ltd.
44 M/s Radio Today Broadcasting Pvt. Ltd.
45 M/s PGH International Pvt. Ltd.
46 M/s Life Style Impex (P) Ltd.
47 M/s Associated Broadcasting Co. Pvt. Ltd.
48 M/s Lewis Natural Food Ltd.
49 M/s Sambhaav Media Ltd.
50 M/s ITM Software and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
51 M/s Seaward Exports Pvt. Ltd.
52 M/s PCM Cement Concrete Pvt. Ltd.
53 M/s Endeavour Industries Ltd.
54 M/s Agniban Publications Ltd.
55 M/s Muthoot Finance Pvt. Ltd.
56 M/s Delhi Press Patra Prakashan Pte. Ltd.
57 M/s The Malayala Manorama Co. Ltd.
58 M/s Rai Bahadur Kishor Chand & Sons (Prop) Pvt. Ltd.
59 M/s Commercial Drug House (I) Pvt. Ltd.
60 M/s Entertainment Network (India) Ltd.
61 M/s Jamkash Vehicleades Pvt. Ltd.
62 M/s Chinar Circuits Ltd.
63 M/s Positiv Radio Pvt. Ltd.
64 M/s Writers and Publishers Ltd.
65 M/s Bhaskar Denim Ltd.
66 M/s Synergy Media Entertainment Ltd.
67 M/s Hitkarini Prakashan Ltd.
68 M/s Subhamangal Traders Pvt. Ltd.
69 M/s Avanti Media Pvt. Ltd.
70 M/s Syntech Informatics Pvt. Ltd.
