About NSD, AIR
(India's Public Service Broadcaster)
News Services Division: All India Radio
(Reference and PP&D Unit)
NBH, Parliament Street, New Delhi
News Services Division
Living up to its noble ideals of “Bahujan Hitaya, Bahujan Sukhaya”, the News Services Division (NSD) of AIR strives to provide news and views to every dweller in this vast country in varied terrains, 24X7, in all major languages and dialects, while adhering to highest professional ethics and standards in Radio Broadcasting.
SET UP OF NSD
The News Services Division is headed by a Director General (News), who is one of the senior most officers of the Indian Information Service. He is assisted by a team of Additional Directors General (News), Directors (News) and Joint Directors (News), Deputy Directors (News), Asstt. Directors (News), News Editors and Reporters etc. The different operational wings of NSD at headquarters in Delhi include: General News Room, Hindi News Room, Reporting Unit, Talks and Current Affairs Unit, Newsreel Unit, Indian Language Units, Reference and PP&D Unit, IT & Website unit and Administrative Wing. The Regional News Units in various States are headed by an officer of the rank of Director or Deputy Director/Assistant Director and assisted by News Editors, Reporters and Newsreaders-cum-Translators.
EARLY HISTORY
The history of news broadcasting in India is much older than that of All India Radio. The first news bulletin in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station on July 23, 1927 under a private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company. A month later on August 26, 1927 another bulletin in Bengali was started from the Calcutta Station. Until 1935, two bulletins, one each in English and Hindustani were broadcast from Bombay and a bulletin in Bengali was broadcast from Calcutta. The Indian Broadcasting Company went into liquidation in March, 1930 following which broadcasting came under the direct control of the Government of India. The service was designated as the Indian State Broadcasting Service. It was renamed All India Radio on June 8, 1936.
DEVELOPMENT
The real breakthrough in news broadcasting came after January 1936 when the first news bulletin from the Delhi Station went on the air on January 19, 1936 coinciding with the starting of its transmission. Besides, news bulletins in English and Hindustani, talks on current affairs were also started from the Station in both the languages.
The Central News Organization was set up on August 1, 1937. Mr. Charles Barnes took charge as the first News Editor in September and he later became the first Director of News. The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 gave an impetus to the development of the Organization. The Monitoring Service was set up in 1939 to monitor foreign broadcasts. In 1943, the External Broadcast Unit was set up under the Director of News. By 1945, the Central News Organization was handling news bulletins in different Indian languages as well as in the External Services. After Independence, news broadcasts of AIR grew both in quantity and quality. More emphasis was laid on national and regional news bulletins.
SOURCE OF NEWS
The bulk of AIR news comes from its own Correspondents spread all over the country. It has more than 81 regular Correspondents in India and abroad at Colombo, Dhaka, Dubai and Kathmandu. Apart from this, AIR has over 520 Part-time Correspondents based at nearly all district headquarters. The PTCs are to meet the requirements of Doordarshan News also.
OUTPUT
607 bulletins daily in 92 languages/dialects
Foreign language bulletins in Arabic, Baluchi, Burmese, Dari, French, Indonesia, Persian, Pashtu, Russian, Sinhala, Swahili, Tibetan, Thai, Chinese etc.
Over 60 hours of total daily broadcast of news bulletins and current affairs programs
Special bulletins/programmes during elections, budgets, sessions of parliament/state legislatures
Radio Plus: News on Website, News on Social Media- Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, YouTube & Instagram.
NEWS BULLETINS
A. Total daily Broadcast duration of News Bulletins and News Based Programmes from NSD and RNUs
Bulletins
B. Details of News Bulletins from NSD HQ. (Delhi)
News Bulletins
Number of Bulletins
Duration (daily in minutes)
Language(s)/Dialects
Ø Hourly Bulletins (Home)
44
285 min
English- 21 Hindi- 23
Ø External Bulletins
15
117 min
English- 10 Hindi- 05
Ø Indian Language Bulletins (Home and External)
23
212 min
Nepali (04), Kashmiri (02), Sanskrit (02), Punjabi (04), Urdu (11)
Ø Foreign Language Bulletins (Overseas Services)
208 min
Arabic (3), Baluchi (1), Burmese (1), Dari (2), French (1), Indonesia (1), Persian (3), Pashtu (3), Russian (1), Sinhala (2), Swahili (1), Tibetan (2), Thai (1), Chinese (1)
Ø FM Headlines
24
24 min
English-06, Hindi-18
Total (daily)-Bulletins
129 Bulletins
846 minutes (14 hrs 06 min)
Total (daily)-News based programmes (Approximate)
10-12
180 min
English, Hindi
Total daily broadcast time from NSD HQ
1026 minutes (17 hrs 06 min)
C. Regional Bulletins
Regional news bulletins were introduced in the early fifties. The first such news bulletins were broadcasted in April, 1953 from Lucknow and Nagpur Stations. In 1954-55, Regional News Units were set up at Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. This went on steadily and at present there are 46 Regional News Units functioning in different parts of the country. 478 news bulletins in 77 regional languages/dialects including English and Hindi are being broadcast from RNUs for a duration of nearly 38 hours. These include 255 headlines bulletins on FM and other frequencies.
Details of Bulletins and Current Affairs Programmes of RNUs
Total No. of RNUs - 46
News Bulletins:-
News Bulletins from RNU
Number
(a) Regional Bulletins
176
1339
77
(b) National bulletins
35
345
#Kannada, Telugu, and Sindhi * Assamese, Odia, Malayalam, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, Dogri, Arunachali (Hindi/English), Bangla, @Konkani
(c) FM Headlines
255
505
17
(c) External Bulletins in Indian Languages
12
115
Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malyalam, Gujarati, Sindhi and Bangla 7
Total (daily)
478
2304
Programmes:-
News based progammes
NEWS BASED PROGRAMMES
During February 1936, talks on current topics were introduced for the first time in English. In September that year, talks on current topics in Hindustani were added. Later ‘Topics for Today’ and ‘Focus’ on matters of current interests were introduced on 26th October, 1962. In 1967, the programmes ''Topic for Today'' and ''Focus'' were renamed as ''Spotlight and ''Current Affairs''.
News based programmes broadcast from NSD HQ.
Daily
S. No
Name of Programme
Frequency
Time of broadcast
Duration
Language
Name of Channel
1
Spotlight
2115-2130 hrs.
15 min.
English
Rajdhani
2
News Analysis
15 min
FM Gold
3
Samayiki
1935-1945 hrs.
10 min
Hindi
Indraprastha
4
Market Mantra
1830-1900 hrs.
30 min
Bilingual
5
Sports Scan
2030-2045 hrs.
6
Newsreel (Mon/Tue/Thu/ Sat)/ Samachar Darshan (Wed/Fri/Sun)
2020-2030 hrs.
English/ Hindi
7
Press Comments
1750-1755 hrs
05 min
8
Parikarma (News Magazine Programme)
1630-1700 hrs
9
Aaj Savere (News Magazine Programme)
0730-0800 hrs.
10
Gulf Charcha
2200-2205 hrs
ESD Hindi Service
Weekly
11
Public Speak
Monday
2130-2205 hrs
35 min
Vaad- Samvaad
Tuesday
2145-2200 hrs
13
Money Talk
2130-2145 hrs.
14
Charcha ka Vishai hai
Wednesday
2130-2200 hrs.
Indraprastha/ FM Gold
Surkhiyon Mein
Thursday
2145-2200 hrs.
15min
16
Country Wide
Current Affairs
Friday
Rajdhani/ FM Gold
Total
320 min (5 hrs 20 min)
COVERAGE OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS
The daily and weekly reviews of the proceedings in Parliament during the sessions were introduced on February 14, 1961 in English and Hindi. The daily review called ‘Today in Parliament’ in English and ‘Sansad Sameeksha’ in Hindi has two parts, one on the proceedings in the Lok Sabha and the other on those in the Rajya Sabha. The weekly review in English – ‘This week in Parliament’ and that in Hindi ‘ Is Saptah Sansad Main’ – sums up the important highlights of the proceedings in both Houses during the preceding week.
The broadcast of the daily and ‘Weekly Reviews’ of the proceedings of the State legislatures, when they are in session, were started in 1971-72 in the respective regional languages. A review of the ‘Proceedings of the Delhi Assembly’ was started from December 14, 1993.
RADIO NEWSREEL
Radio Newsreel was started on December 10, 1955 both in English (Radio Newsreel) and Hindi (Samachar Darshan) from Delhi. Newsreel in English is broadcast on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday while Samachar Darshan is broadcast on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Some Regional News Units also put out regional Newsreels in the respective regional languages.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The NSD, AIR has been expanding its presence year after year, across various domains with the aim to disseminate news to the public and reaching diverse cross sections of the society. NSD, AIR has embraced new technologies and practices, since last three years, to add to its traditional platform and disseminate News and Discussion Programmes on New Media applications, including Social Media, as Radio..
Since three years, the News Services Division has substantially increased its presence on the social media viz Website, Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, YouTube & Instagram and has crossed major milestones in reaching out to audience far and wide.
Twitter
Languages of Bulletins
Languages of News bulletins of Eighth Schedule of Constitution of India: (Total Languages- 22)
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Maithili, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
Other Indian Languages Bulletins: (Total Languages- 5)
Bhojpuri, Chhattisgarhi, English, Ladakhi, Rajasthani.
Bulletins in Dialects : (Total Dialects- 51)
Angami, Adi, Adi(Galo), Apatani, Ao, Balti, Bhojpuri, Bhutia, Chakhesang, Chang, Dimasa, Garo, Gojri, Hmar, Ho, Idu, Jaintia, Kabui, Karbi, Khasi, Khampti, Khiamnugan, Konyak, Kokborok, Kuki, Kurukh, Lepcha, Lotha, Mao, Miju Mishmi Wancho, Mundari, Mizo, Nagamese, Nagpuri, Nocte, Nyshi, Paite, Pahari, Phom, Purgee, Rengma, Sangtam, Sambalpuri, Sema, Thadou, Tangkhul, Tangin, Tangsa, Tulu, Yimchungru, Zeilang.
Bulletins in Foreign Languages: (Total Languages- 14)
Arabic, Baluchi, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, French, Indonesia, Persian, Pashto, Russian, Sinhala, Swahili, Tibetan, Thai.
News Schedule
Schedule of daily news bulletins from Delhi along with their channel of broadcast
ENGLISH
S. No.
Time (Hrs.)
Channel
1.
0000-0005
Rajdhani/FM Gold
2.
0105-0110
National (MW)
3.
0200-0205
4.
0305-0310
5.
0400-0405
6.
0505-0510
7.
0605-0610
8.
0815-0830
9.
0905-0910
10.
1005-1010
1200-1205
12.
1300-1305
13.
1400-1415
1500-1505
15.
1600-1605
16.
1705-1710
17.
1800-1805
18.
2000-2005
RN
19.
2005-2010
05 min (Sports)
20.
2100-2115
21.
2300-2305
21 Bulletins
135 min (02 hours 15 min)
HINDI
0005-0010
0100-0105
0205-0210
0300-0305
0405-0410
0500-0505
0600-0605
0700-0705
0800-0815
0900-0905
1000-1005
1100-1105
1205-1210
1305-1310
1415-1430
1700-1705
1805-1810
1900-1905
1905-1910
05min (Sports)
20
1950-2000
10 min *(Pradeshik)
2045-2100
22.
2200-2205
23.
2305-2310
23 bulletins
150 min (02 hours 30 minutes)
Indian Languages Bulletins from NSD, HQ.
Sr.No.
* Haj Bulletin of 05 minutes duration is also broadcast during Haj period for two months (1110-1115).
Details of External English News Bulletins broadcast by NSD HQ
(English)
Sr. No.
* SAARC bulletin of 5 minutes duration is broadcast on Sunday only from 2030-2035 hrs.
Details of External Hindi News Bulletins broadcast by NSD HQ
(Hindi)
Foreign Language Bulletins which are compiled by NSD, AIR in English and broadcast by ESD, AIR
Time
Arabic
1020-1030 1755-1759 (News Briefs) 0110-0114 (News Briefs)
10 min 04 min 04 min
Baluchi
2032-2040
08 min
Burmese
1746-1756
Chinese
1745-1755
Dari
0835-0845 1846-1855
10 min 09 min
French
0120-0130
Indonesia
1416-1425
09 min
Persian
0935-0945 2150-2200 2255-2259 (News Flash)
10 min 10 min 04 min
Pushtu
0750-8000 1950-2000 2055-2059 (News Flash)
Russian
2200-2217
17 min
11.
Sinhala
1905 – 1915 2010 - 2015
10 min 05 min
Swahili
2110-2117
07 min
Thai
1650-1700
14.
Tibetan
1800-1817 1845-1855
17 min 10 min
23 Bulletins
(3 hours 28 min)
FM Headlines
FM Rainbow News Headlines in English:-
0100 Hrs.
0200 Hrs.
0900 Hrs.
1000 Hrs.
2200 Hrs.
2300 Hrs.
FM Rainbow News Headlines in Hindi:-
RNUs Bulletins
S.NO
Name of RNU
Timing
FM
MW
SW
Agartala
0735-0740
(Bengali)
√
0740-0745
(Kokborok)
1945-1955
1955-2005
Ahmedabad
0705-0715
Gujarati
0720-0730
Sindhi
0745-0755
0840-0850
0945-1000
Gurjarti
1320-1330
1430-1435
1815-1825
1910-1920
2010-2020
Aizwal
0730-0740
(Mizo)
1830-1840
Aurangabad
0650-0700
Marathi
0840-0845
Urdu
1725-1730
Bangalore
0735-0745
Kannada
0820-0830
Kannada*
1310-1320
1840-1850
1935-1945
1815-1820
Tulu (Weekly)
Bhopal
1420-1425
Bhuj
0650-0655
1825-1830
Calicut
0645-0655
Malayalam
1230-1240
Chandigarh
1310-1315
Punjabi
1810-1820
1820-1830
Chennai
0535-0545
Tamil
0715-0725
0810-0815
1240-1250
1915-1925
1945-2000
Cuttack
0705-0710
Odia
1350-1400
1432-1442
1845-1855
Dehradun
Dharwad
Dibrugarh
Assamese
Gangtok
1845-1850
Lepcha
1850-1855
Bhutia
1840-1845
Nepali
Gorakhpur
Bhojpuri)
Guwahati
0850-0900
1340-1350
2125-2130
1545-1550
Karbi
1515-1520
1630-1635
Bodo
1905-1915
18
Hyderabad
Telugu-N
Telugu
1750-1800
1810-1815
Telugu-Ex