Indian govt. bans Hope TV for a month
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3 years ago 06:12:08am Television

Indian govt. bans Hope TV for a month

New Delhi, 03-May-2022, By IBW Team

India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has said it suspended the registration of about 276 MSOs in April, though the reasons were not publicly outlined. However, the MIBs also stated that despite the latest action, the total number of MSOs in the country stood at 1761 at the end of April 2022. The number includes MSOs whose registrations were suspended. From the data put on the website of the Ministry, it is not clear whether the MSOs whose registrations got suspended could get back to delivering normal services as and when the objections raised by the government were addressed and anomalies in the registrations were rectified. A few of the suspended MSOs --- as highlighted by the MIB --- did change the structure of their companies from partnership to proprietorship entities. The list of suspended MSOs could be viewed on the MIB website at https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/List%20of%20Registered%20MSOs%20as%20on%2030.04.2022.pdf. There were four MSOs whose registrations were cancelled/surrendered during the month of April. The applications of Shivam Cable & Broadband Private Limited of East Medinipur in West Bengal and Gujrata State's Bhuj-based Rallyon Technology were rejected by the MIB owing to suppression of vital information. In March 2022 also MIB had rejected the application of two MSOs as they had withheld relevant information from the government. The registration of Panduranga Cable Network of Telengana was cancelled in April 2022 due to non-operation. Ditto for Karnataka’s RK Digital Cable TV Network. As per a government order of 2017, all registered MSOs, unless indicated in the registration order specifically, can operate anywhere in India.

The Indian government has issued a stern warning to TV channel Hope TV for failing in its financial obligations towards licence fees and suspended the channel’s broadcast for a month.

The government has also directed the distribution platforms to desist from carrying the offending channel on their networks failing which action could be taken against them too.

“(The) broadcast of the channel ‘Hope TV’ permitted to M/s. Noida Software Technology Park Limited is prohibited for a period of 30 days from 09-06-2021 (00:00 hrs. midnight) to 08-07-2021 (00:00 hrs. midnight) under the extant Policy Guidelines for uplinking and downlinking of Private Satellite TV Channels in India, 2011,” a notice from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) stated.

MIB has also directed hope TV to remove an unauthorized logo, which, it alleged, was undertaken without proper clearances, and pay up outstanding dues of Rs.15 lakhs (Rs. 15,00,000) as annual permission fee.

“The company is further directed to submit copy of valid distribution partner agreement with M/s. Adventist Television Network, USA to downlink and distribute the channel for viewing in the territory of India beyond the period 30-07-2014,” the ministry missive, posted on its website, said.

MIB had granted landing rights to Noida Software Technology Park Limited (NSTPL), which also operates in the business of downlinking channels into India, for a non-news and current affairs TV channel, HOPE TV, on November 11, 2009 under guidelines for downlinking. The permission was further renewed up to November 10, 2024.

The ministry also issued a show cause notice to NSTPL on August 20, 2020 for unauthorized change in the channel logo to Hope channel India from Hope Channel, apart from directions to pay up its dues. According to MIB, NSTPL failed to respond to its notices on both counts.

More action could be initiated against NSTPL by the government in case the latter failed to clear its stance with the MIB within the stipulated time period.


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