The Kozhikode Akashavani Listeners’ Forum has urged Anurag Thakur, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs, and Sports, to replace the 100 KW AM transmitter at the AIR, Kozhikode station, with a modern FM transmitter.
In a memorandum submitted to the Minister, R. Jayanth Kumar of the forum said that the transmitter now being used was 38 years old. “The new transmitter can be installed at the currently unused Doordarshan transmitter building near the Government Medical College, Kozhikode. It will be able to broadcast programmes catering to Kannur, Malappuram, and Wayanad districts besides Kozhikode,” Mr. Kumar said in a letter to the Minister.
He said that radio still had a good influence on the people, particularly those in rural areas. However, hundreds of casual announcers and artistes who make a living by doing programmes on AIR were in a crisis ever since many local programmes were cancelled or shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram station due to staff shortage here. It had been two years since the local news at 12.30 p.m. was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram as well. The forum urged Mr. Thakur to take steps to recruit or post the necessary staff and reinstate news and other programmes.
