Agency report
  
Bangalore, Jan 12: All India Radio has decided to launch two 24-hour music channels exclusively for Carnatic and Hindustani classical music from July this year.

Disclosing this to newsmen here, AIR Director General Brijeshwar Singh said that while a Hindustani classical music channel would be launched from Lucknow, the Carnatic music channel would be launched from Bangalore and Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu. The Carnatic music channel would be shared 12 hours each between Bangalore and Trichy.

He also announced the launching of News on Phone in the city. The News on Phone Service could be availed by dialing 1258 for Kannada service and 1259 for English service.

He said that the new service is a revenue sharing arrangement between AIR and BSNL.

This service, already available in Kolkata, Chennai, Patna, Mumbai and New Delhi, would be extended to to other cities starting with Hyderabad.

AIR also planned to release the recordings of old masters from its archives in the next 12 months, he said.