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The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has asked the MSOs (Multiple system operators) to resume the broadcast of TV9 channel within a week (from October 29).
Acting on a complaint by the TV channel that has been blocked out in Telangana for about four months, Aftab Alam, Chairperson, and Kuldip Singh, Member, of TDSAT, has asked the Telangana State Government to ensure smooth broadcast of the channel by the MSOs without any untoward incidents.
It directed the Government to file an affidavit in this regard by November 5. It, however, put the onus on the television channel to abide by the Programme Code and the Advertisement Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.
It also asked the channel not to indulge in making any false and malicious references to the State of Telangana or its people or its government or its elected representatives.
The MSOs have barred the channel (and also the ABN Andhra Jyothi channel) after it aired a programme that heckled at the legislators of Telangana, a few days after the new Government had taken charge. Incensed, the MSOs barred the channel saying they were getting threats from the public for airing the programmes of the channel.
The tribunal had sought the opinion of the Solicitor General of India on the issue last week.
Finances crippled
Meanwhile, the prolonged blockade had a telling impacting on the finances of the channel. It reportedly cut the salaries of its employees by 50 per cent. Minimum take home has been fixed at Rs 20,000.
“We will restore the salaries once the revenues are restored,” the management reportedly told its employees.
The blockade of the channel had impacted the valuation of the company that wanted to give an exit route to the original investors.
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