After Sun TV, govt talks tough on all multi-service operators

After the Union Home Ministry declined to give security clearance to 33 Sun TV channels, the Centre has made it clear to multi-service operators (MSOs) that it will grant provisional registration on preliminary scrutiny of their applications, but this would not confer on them the right to claim regular registration.

Issuing a notification of Thursday, the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has also said the provisional registration of an MSO would automatically stand cancelled if the Home Ministry rejects its application for security clearance. The I&B Ministry has received a “large number of applications” for grant of MSO registration, and those complete in all respect have been sent to the Home Ministry for mandatory security clearance under Cable TV Network Rules.

As the Home Ministry declined security clearance to Sun TV, prompting it to move the court, the I&B ministry has asked all MSOs to undertake on affidavit that they would immediately shut down operation “without protest or demur” on denial of security clearance by the Home Ministry.

In their affidavits, the MSOs have to undertake that they wouldn’t have any claim against the government for any investment they might have made to get provisional registration, and would be solely responsible for any loss arising due to cancellation of registration.