Advertisement rates for Community radio have been hiked. The rates have been increased from one rupee per second to four at par with the FM radio rates.

This was announced at the ongoing three day Community Radio Sammelan in New Delhi inaugurated by the Minister of State for Information and broadcasting Minister S.Jagathrakshakan this afternoon. The Minister said Community Radio is the only medium that can bridge the digital divide in the country.

Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Uday Varma who announced the hike in advertisement rates said his ministry is formulating a detailed road map for expansion of Community Radio Stations in the country. Varma said around 2000 to 5000 Community Radio stations are expected to come up in the next five years.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni who visited the Community Radio Sammelan this morning said, Community radio should be used to spread knowledge about the flagships programs of the Government for the benefit of rural people, the farmers and the poor.

The three day Community Radio Sammelan is being organised by the Information and broadcasting ministry and the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia.