Entertainment Network India Limited (ENIL), which operates Radio Mirchi, has acquired 21 new licenses in the 2nd batch of Phase-3 FM auctions held in India.
The auctions, held by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry between October 26 and December 14 last year, sold 66 radio channels for $30 million in 48 cities while 200 channels in 44 cities found no takers.
In the first batch of the FM Phase III radio auctions ministry had put up 135 channels for auction, and at closure of the e-Auction in September 2015, 97 channels had been sold provisionally in 56 cities.
The total value of bids made by ENIL is $7.68 million (INR 513 million).
With these new frequencies, which are expected to become operational by the end of Financial year 2018, Radio Mirchi’s brand presence will increase from 43 to 64 cities in the country.
The new cities are Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Mehsana, Bharuch and Palanpur in Gujarat, Akola and Amravati in Maharashtra, Tiruchirapalli and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh, Warangal in Telengana, Durg/Bhilai and Raigarh in Chhatisgarh, Hubli/Dharwad and Mysuru in Karnataka, Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Asansol and Siliguri in West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry.