Sambalpur, Jan. 9: Local people will soon be able to listen to news in Sambalpuri as a regional news unit will open at the All India Radio (AIR) station here on January 23.
The RNU at AIR, Sambalpur, will be second one in the state after the Cuttack RNU that was opened in 1958.
The news bulletin will be read out in Sambalpuri language from 8.15 to 8.30 every evening.
However, the actual news in the regional language will be aired for five minutes - from 8.20pm to 8.25pm. Various promotional and commercial advertisements will be aired for the remaining 10 minutes," said station director P.K. Srichandan.
The All India Radio stations of Bhawanipatna, Rourkela and Balangir will also air the news bulletin in Sambalpuri.
"Regional news will be given priority in the news bulletin. However, adequate stress will also be given on national and international news," said another official.
"The AIR Sambalpur station does not have uplink arrangement. However, since the Cuttack station has that arrangement, a BSNL line will be booked to link the both the AIR stations for the purpose," said Srichandan.
"The regional news unit has been a long-pending demand of the people of this region," he said.
Sambalpur residents welcomed the move. "We are happy to know about the Sambalpuri news bulletin. This will be of immense help to us," said local resident Milan Hota.
