FM-101 NETWORK
Islamabad
Faisalabad
Hyderabad
Quetta
Lahore
Karachi
Sialkot
Peshawar
REGULAR FM NETWORK
Sargodha
Mianwali
Bannu
Mithi
Gawadar
Kohat
Video has not quite killed the radio star. Not even private cable television has managed to do that. In fact in Pakistan, new radio stars are cropping up daily, thanks to the FM boom. Radio always had a far greater reach than television in this country, But the surge in FM stations has contributed to a new revival, with over 80 such stations holding licenses. Everyone seems to want to get in on the act: as many as 171 private sector companies applied for licenses in the first half of this year. In May, PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) invited 82 to a bidding in Islamabad, where 32 licenses (in addition to the existing 50) were granted. There were biddings from around the country , Karachi, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Quetta, Faisalabad, Raiwind, Sadiqabad, Gujar Khan, Bhurban, Toba Tek Singh, Dadu, Kalar Kahar, and DI Khan. Most FM stations just dish out 'ear candy' - easy listening, music hits, recipes, chit chat... including callers (and their driver, cook, and neighbor) ringing up to make inane conversation. Just more commercialization and encouragement of 'the burger culture', right? Maybe, but only to an extent. FM is also providing valuable information through talk shows by experts on legal, psychological and health matters

Efforts to introduce a more professional, journalistic element to FM will also make an impact. Peshawar University's Journalism department has developed the country's first university-based community radio station and broadcast journalism curriculum, helped by the international media-training organization Inter news. Inter news also trained women journalists through the women and media NGO Uks, which produced a syndicated radio series called "Meri Awaz Suno" ("Hear My Voice"), focusing on issues such as health and education