NEW DELHI: The Data and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has prohibited the published of Hope TV, a Christian life-style channel, for 30 days for “violation of coverage pointers for uplinking and downlinking of personal satellite tv for pc channels within the nation”.
The choice got here after the channel’s distributor Noida Software program Know-how Half Restricted (NSTPL) did not deposit the annual allow payment for downlinking of the channel and submit any clarification to the ministry’s show-cause notices on the usage of an unauthorised emblem.
“The printed of the channel, Hope TV, is prohibited for a interval of 30 days from June 9, 2021 (00:00 hours midnight) to July 8, 2021 (00:00 hours midnight) underneath the extant coverage pointers for uplinking and downlinking of personal TV satellite tv for pc channels in India,” the ministry stated in an official communique to all a number of system operators (MSOs) and native cable operators (LCOs) on June 8.
The MSOs and LCOs are directed to not broadcast the channel on their community in the course of the prohibition interval, “failing which applicable/appropriate motion shall be initiated towards the defaulter(s) as per the related clause(s) of the Cable Tv Community (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Guidelines framed thereunder,” the ministry added.
It had issued a show-cause discover to NSTPL on August 27 final 12 months for utilizing the unauthorised emblem of the channel, noting that the corporate was utilizing “Hope Channel India” as the emblem of the channel as an alternative of “Hope Channel”.
“Nonetheless, the corporate didn’t furnish any reply to the show-cause discover,” the ministry famous in its order.
One other show-cause discover was issued to the NSTPL on the usage of an unauthorised emblem for the channel in a while October 20, 2020.
“Nonetheless, the corporate did not furnish any reply,” the ministry famous.
In a letter to the corporate on December 24 final 12 months, the ministry requested the NSTPL to furnish proof for legitimate unique advertising/rights for distribution of Hope TV in India, and likewise sought clarification on the usage of unauthorised emblem of the channel.
The ministry additionally urged the corporate to deposit an annual allow payment of Rs 15 lakh from December 22, 2020 to December 21, 2021.
Based on the ministry, it didn’t obtain any response from the corporate.
The ministry issued a last discover to the corporate on this connection on Might 11, 2021, asking it to submit its reply inside 15 days as to why the permission for downlinking of the Hope TV shouldn’t be cancelled for utilizing unauthorised emblem and non-payment of excellent payment.
“Nonetheless, the corporate didn’t reply. Therefore the corporate has violated clause 5.5 of the downlinking pointers,” the order stated.
Prohibiting the published of the channel, the ministry directed the NSTPL to take away the unauthorised emblem and pay the excellent payment of Rs 15 lakh.
It additionally directed the corporate to submit a duplicate of a sound distribution accomplice settlement with Adventist Tv Community, USA for downlinking and distribution of the channel for viewing in India.
“Within the occasion, the corporate fails to handle the defaults inside 30 days, additional punitive motion could also be initiated towards the corporate,” the ministry’s order stated.
The ministry had granted permission to NSTPL for downlinking of the channel on November 11, 2009.
The permission was later renewed in 2017 as much as November 10, 2024.
