Key Points
- Vijay Garg elected AROI president succeeding Anurradha Prasad after 15 years
- Private FM radio seeks news broadcast rights and GST reduction to 5 per cent
- Industry pushing for mandatory FM chip activation in all mobile phones sold in India
Vijay Garg, chief financial officer of MY FM, has been elected president of the Association of Radio Operators for India (AROI), the apex body representing private FM radio broadcasters across the country.
Garg succeeds Anurradha Prasad, chairperson and managing director of BAG Network, which operates Radio Dhamaal. Prasad led the association for fifteen years before resigning at the annual general meeting held on 10 August 2026. AROI said Prasad’s tenure had given the industry a united voice on policy matters.
The leadership change comes as private FM radio faces mounting pressure on multiple regulatory fronts. The sector, which AROI says reaches more than 200 million listeners weekly across more than a dozen languages, is seeking fundamental reforms to its operating framework.
Policy demands
AROI has outlined four priorities under the incoming leadership. First, the industry wants permission to broadcast independent news and current affairs programming, a right currently denied to private FM stations under existing licensing conditions. Second, broadcasters are seeking extension of Phase III licences, the current licensing framework for FM stations, on the 4 per cent Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) model. AGR refers to the revenue figure on which licence fees are calculated; the 4 per cent rate has already been approved by the Union Cabinet for new cities but existing licensees want the same terms.
Third, the association is pushing for reduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on radio from 18 per cent to 5 per cent, bringing it at par with print media. Fourth, AROI wants the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to convert a 2023 advisory into a mandatory directive requiring all mobile phones sold in India to have functional FM receiver chips.
Garg said the sector carries a cost structure built for a different era. “Radio is India’s most local, most inclusive and most cost-efficient mass medium. It speaks to the country in its own languages, free of cost, and it stays on air when every other network goes down,” he said in a statement issued by AROI.
“My focus as President will be simple and unrelenting: secure media parity for radio, make the economics of the licence sustainable, correct the tax anomaly, and get FM chips switched on in every phone sold in this country,” Garg added.
Industry footprint
AROI’s members operate hundreds of FM stations across metropolitan areas as well as Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The association engages with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and other authorities on policy and regulation affecting the radio and audio industry.
Garg brings nearly three decades of experience in financial and business leadership to the role. A Cost and Management Accountant and graduate of the University of Delhi, he began his career in corporate finance with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts before moving into broadcasting as chief financial officer of Red FM.
By the numbers
Key figures from this story- 200 million
- weekly listeners reached by private FM radio
- 18%
- current GST on radio, industry seeks 5%
- 44 stations
- MY FM network footprint
He joined the Dainik Bhaskar Group’s radio business in 2007 and currently serves as CFO for the group’s radio operations and other businesses. MY FM has expanded from a regional network to one with a footprint approaching 44 stations, according to AROI.
Acknowledging Prasad’s contribution, Garg said the outgoing president had “put radio’s case squarely before the Government” and the incoming leadership would build on that foundation.
The private FM radio sector has long argued that regulatory restrictions, particularly the ban on news broadcasting, place it at a disadvantage compared to television and digital media. Industry bodies have also contended that the GST differential makes radio advertising less competitive despite the medium’s reach in non-metropolitan markets.
Your Questions, Answered
Who is the new president of AROI?
Vijay Garg, chief financial officer of MY FM, has been elected president of the Association of Radio Operators for India. He succeeds Anurradha Prasad who led the body for fifteen years.
What policy changes is the FM radio industry seeking?
AROI is seeking permission to broadcast news, extension of Phase III licences at 4 per cent AGR, reduction of GST from 18 to 5 per cent, and mandatory FM chip activation in all mobile phones sold in India.
How many listeners does private FM radio reach in India?
According to AROI, private FM radio stations reach more than 200 million listeners every week across more than a dozen languages in metros and smaller cities.
What is the FM chip mandate AROI is seeking?
AROI wants MeitY to convert a 2023 advisory into a mandatory directive requiring all mobile phones sold in India to have functional FM receiver chips, enabling free radio access without internet.
