Having laid out a broad policy framework for regulation of the television industry and growth in the FM radio sector, the government has expressed optimism that the broadcast industry would make more waves in terms of growth in 2006.

"Our interest is that growth should not be impeded and we should not give a signal that we are overbearing," Information and Broadcasting Secretary S K Arora said.

Commenting on the developments in the I&B sector in 2005, he said it had been a "fairly good year" as far as expansion of television and electronic media was concerned.

"TV channels have increased considerably and, in fact, have been growing rapidly over the last three years," Arora said, adding that as per projections made in studies conducted by Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers, the growth rates are going to sustain for the next five years.

The year gone by saw the government come out with the much-awaited revisions to downlinking and uplinking policies that govern television channels in India.

The government also came out with a bold policy on the private FM radio front, where it not only allowed 20 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) but also switched over to a revenue share regime from the licence fee structure adopted in the first round of bidding.

"There is far greater optimism on the FM radio side," Arora said, and pointed out that the government not only went in for wide-ranging consultations with the stakeholders but also kept in mind the commercial viability of the projects while reviewing the policy.

"This time we kept commercial aspects, to which the industry contributed largely, in mind while designing the policy," he said.  

( http://economictimes.indiatimes.com)