At least six local news channel owners of Tripura on January 25 submitted memorandum before the West District Magistrate demanding to take immediate necessary action to pave the way for reconnecting their news channels which were illegally disconnected in the local cable operators.
A six member delegation team on January 25 met the District Magistrate Debapriya Bardhan and submitted the memorandum.
All these six news channels were allegedly stopped soon after BJP formed government in the state.
“We, the representatives of under mentioned local Cable TV News Channels of Agartala would like to draw your kind attention regarding the one-sided, malicious and illegal disconnection of our Channels and stopping telecast abruptly on behalf of the local Cable Operators short-named as Srishti, Hathaway, GTPL, City Cables. We heard about an institutionalized, undemocratic and continuous corrupt political power pressure behind this unfortunate episode of events”, the memorandum reads.
The delegation also said that they have been suffering financial losses due to this disconnection for years in some cases.
“Besides, the State Assembly Elections will be held on 16th February, 2023 as announced by Election Commission of India, our viewers are being deprived of their right to stay informed of important election news through their favorite news channels”, the memorandum reads.
Demanding to take necessary action, the media delegations said, “We, earnestly request you to take immediate necessary action to pave the way for reconnection of our News Channels through the cable networks in operation so that our viewers and subscribers can stay with us on their TV screen for 24/7 basis”.