NEW DELHI: The FM band private radio channels will have their own Content Code for news broadcast, which will be developed by a committee to be set up shortly.

This was revealed to Uday Chawla, secretary general of Association of Radio Organisations of India told indiantelevision.com in an exclusive interaction. Welcoming the Union government`s statement that it is considering allowing news and current affairs on private radio channels, Aori has said it is fully sensitised to the government`s concern about issues of privacy, decency, accuracy, national security and cultural values, and will form the Code as per those perceptions.

However, Chawla insisted that the Code has to come from and be implemented by the industry, and in this, Aori will not only follow the footsteps of the News Broadcasters Association (of the television industry), but coordinate with them as well.

"They have taken the first step, and they too are into news, so we need to coordinate with them," Chawla said.

Chawla, who is also General Manager (Commercial) India Today Group, said that the statement was unexpected and has delighted the industry, and the massive expansion that FM radio is witnessing will benefit from this.

Chawla stressed that there is a huge demand for independent news. "Look at the proliferation of private news channels¦ people love independent news," he said.