Under TDP govt in Andhra, cable TV operators take four channels off the air
AT LEAST four Telugu news channels — TV9, Sakshi TV, NTV and 10TV — have been taken off the air by some cable TV operators in Andhra Pradesh since Friday night. Sakshi TV was launched by Indira Television Ltd, promoted by the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy family.
This is the second time since the N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government returned to power that these four channels have gone off the air. The first time, they were taken off air for a day on June 6.
The state government, however, said that no instructions have been given to cable TV operators.
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In a letter to the telecom regulator TRAI that is copied to the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, I&B Secretary and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, YSR CP leader and Rajya Sabha member S Niranjan Reddy said, the Andhra Pradesh Cable TV Operators’ Association has “under the pressure and directions” of the newly-formed TDP sought “to permanently block TV9, NTV, 10TV and Sakshi TV”. Terming this as a direct assault on the principles of democracy, the June 11 letter said: “Such interference causes a chilling effect on the freedom of the press...”
An executive from one of the four channels, who did not wish to be named, said, “Since Friday night, all four TV channels have gone blank. The cable TV operators say they have been told to take them off air but they will not tell who gave the orders.’’
When contacted, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister N Lokesh Naidu, however, told The Indian Express: “Neither TDP nor any NDA leaders in the state have given any instructions to anyone to block any news channels. We have more important work to do than these frivolous things.”
The executive from the TV channel said this is not very surprising. “It is understood; the previous government also did the same thing. Then they paid the price,” he said. Indeed, in May 2021, Telugu news channels TV5 and ABN Andhra Jyothi, considered to be pro-TDP, were similarly taken off air by the same cable TV operators allegedly under pressure from the ruling YSRCP government.
The four channels are, however, available on direct-to-home (DTH) platforms. In Andhra Pradesh, Multi-System Operators or cable TV accounts for nearly 50 per cent of all subscribers. The balance 50 per cent have DTH services.
Sources in the industry said news channels TV9, NTV and Sakshi command nearly 60 per cent viewership.
I Balaji, a cable TV operator from Vijayawada, claimed that many subscribers asked them to block the four channels since some of their content was allegedly opposite to the truth. When asked if there was political pressure to block the channels, he said, “You know how it works.”
Guntur-based MSO (Multi-System Operators) Association President P Sai Babu declined to comment on the issue. A Guntur-based TDP leader said cable operators just do what the people want. “These channels were targeting CBN (Chandrababu Naidu) even after a landslide victory. People don’t like that,’’ he said.
TDP MLA from Puthalapattu Assembly constituency Kalikiri Murali Mohan, a former journalist and former head of Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists, told The Indian Express there was no pressure on cable TV operators to block any news channels. “I am not aware of any TDP leaders or government issuing orders to cable operators to block any TV channel. If there is any such thing, I will bring it to the notice of the government,’’ he said.
In his letter, Niranjan Reddy cautioned that such a move could dissuade media organisations from reporting on sensitive issues for fear of punitive actions. “Such interference creates a chilling effect on the freedom of the press, where media organisations might become hesitant to report on controversial or sensitive issues due to fear of punitive actions,” he wrote.
The YSR Congress leader called upon TRAI to “act decisively” to enforce regulations and protect the media from “undue governmental influence”, allowing the press to operate freely without fear of retaliation or censorship.
He urged the regulator to ensure compliance with the TRAI’s regulations of 2017 particularly Regulation 17, and take necessary action against those who have violated these provisions. In Telangana, on June 16, 2014, two weeks days after Telangana became a separate state and K Chandrasekhara Rao became the Chief Minister, two prominent Telugu news channels—TV9 and ABN Andhra Jyothi—were taken off air by Telangana multiple-system operators (MSOs) for allegedly being anti-Telangana.
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