He added that it had plans to digitise its radio transmission during the 11th Plan period.

Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi said that he would take up Karnataka’s request to air Kannada news on DD-1 channel and setting up of FM channels in all districts.

He said he was not in favour of giving best music director award to those who use a synthesiser, but to one who used traditional instruments. He said he was not against the use of synthesiser but it had been observed that the number of violinist, flautists and tabla players was coming down. He recalled that when Kannada film icon Rajkumar was kidnapped by forest bandit Veerappan, the only link the actor had with the outside world was radio.