AIR initiative in city celebrates golden jubilee

Manish Gajbhiye

Aurangabad, July 4:

The foundation stone of All India Radio (AIR) was laid on June 17, 1972. Last month, the event completed 50 years. Over the years, Akashwani had enacted various roles as an education, entertainer, and informer to the public.

On the occasion of completing the golden jubilee of laying the foundation stone. A review has been taken of the activities initiated during this period at Aurangabad station.

Brief History

After the establishment of the Agriculture University at Parbhani, AIR station was established in Parbhani on February 10, 1968. Later, the foundation stone of Aurangabad station was laid by the then union minister of state for information and broadcasting Nandini Sathapathy on June 17, 1972. AIR started its service at Aurangabad through 1KW - MW transmitter (1521 KHz means 197.2 meters) from September 1976. AIR Aurangabad and AIR Parbhani functioned as link stations till December, 2002 and on January 1, 2003, Parbhani station was delinked from Aurangabad.

On August 15, 2005, FM transmitter with 1 KW capacity was commissioned (101.7 MHz), and programmes of AIR Aurangabad area were broadcast simultaneously through both MW and FM Transmitters. Later, a 1 KW FM Transmitter was replaced with a 10 KW FM transmitter in 2011. Now, programmes are broadcast only through 10 KW (FM) transmitter (101.7 MHz) covering a radius of 70 km.

Various units

Akashwani, Aurangabad conducts its affairs through various wings. These included regional news, audience research, programme, engineering, administrative, and accounts wings. Daily Marathi news at 6.50 are broadcast from September 1, 1980, Urdu news at 9.40 am from January 26, 1988 and 5 news headlines daily from July 1, 2008. Programmes broadcast are related to film music, classical music, light music, youth, students, farmers, education, and others.

NewsOnAIR, a new initiative

Various activities of AIR are conducted through various wings. However, it is very difficult to get the exact number of the audience as the Akashwani broadcast is terrestrial and not digital. During the Corona crisis, Akashwani was heard the most by the people. NewsOnAir is a new App of Prasar Bharti, through which one can listen to the news of any regional language broadcast from any Akashwani station in India. This App has received a tremendous response from Indians living abroad.

- Jayant Kagalkar, Head of Station

Grew up listening to Radio

I remember that there was no other alternative than radio for entertainment unless the TV came to the fore. We grew up listening to the radio. I remember that we used to listen to the radio in morning. Infact, we used to get up early in the morning just to listen the news. It was an important source for news, music and other entertainment programs.

Dnyaneshwar Rathod, Teacher

Announcers, producers takes efforts

The programmes on Akashwani are of excellent quality. The announcers and producers while producing the programmes take strenuous efforts which are experienced while listening. I like to listen to health related Hello Doctor and Nemani programmes. The local talents should be encouraged by giving the maximum slot to the local programmes.

- Ismail Shaikh Patel, President, Shrota Sangha

AIR Aurangabad at a glance

Foundation Stone - June 17, 1972

Commission - Sept 19, 1976

Parbhani delinked - Jan 1, 2003

Transmitter strength - 10 KW FM

Relay Vividh Bharati - Jan 6, 2015

Relay AIR Mumbai - Feb 1, 2022

Seamless (Non-stop) Transmission - Aug 15, 2015

Operating frequency - 101.7 MHz

Transmission location - TV Centre, Hudco

Transmission hours - 5.50 am to 23.10 pm

Languages - Marathi, Hindi, Sanskrit & English

Tehsils covered - Aurangabad, Kannad, Khuldabad, Vaijapur, Gangapur, Paithan, Sillod, Nevasa, Shrirampur, Shevgaon, Rahuri, Ahmednagar, Badnapur.