The fate of news channels in cable networks hangs in the balance after the central government issued an advisory that could potentially stop their broadcast from February 5, 2024.
The advisory, which was issued a year ago, asked all the local news channels to register under “The Cable Television Network Rules 1994”.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcast also issued the guidelines for ‘Platform Services’ offered by Multi-System Operators (MSOs) in India as per the Rule 6(6) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 on 30.11.2022.
However, media reports say that none of the news channels in Tripura have complied with the registration process and the guidelines, which could lead to their termination from the cable network.
The advisory has sparked a lot of confusion and anxiety among the public, the owners and the staff of the news channels. If the broadcast is stopped, hundreds of workers, including media persons, from about 30 news channels of the state will lose their jobs. The channel owners will also suffer a big financial loss.
The Chief Minister of the state, Dr. Manik Saha, who is currently in Delhi, has raised the issue with the Union Minister for Information and Broadcast, Anurag Thakur.
A government press release says that the Chief Minister was told by the Union Minister that the issue will be resolved soon through talks with the channel owners.
The Agartala Press Club sought Chief Minister’s intervention in the matter. The Press Club has also urged the channel owners to avoid any staff cuts during this period of uncertainty.
A statement from a journalists’ group says that the Chief Minister requested the Union Minister to look into the matter. Following the Chief Minister’s request, the Union Minister invited the state’s representatives for a meeting in Delhi at 7 pm on Monday, the statement says.
The news channels, the government and the public are waiting for a positive outcome from the meeting between the Union Minister and the state’s delegates.
Meantime, the news channel owners expressed hope that the central government would consider their situation and allow them to continue their broadcast in the cable network.
