Clampdown on illegal foreign TV channels

I&B Minister Ambika Soni has written to Home Minister P Chidambaram and all chief ministers in this regard. The channels that are illegally telecast by some cable operators in the country include Peace TV of Dubai, ARY Q TV (also known as Quran TV) of Pakistan, TV Maldives and Saudi TV. They telecast Islamic teachings.

While none of these channels have permission to be shown in India, some cable operators, allegedly in league with broadcasters, are illegally downlinking them violating the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act. “I have received complaints that these channels are being shown in many parts of the country. The home minister has said he will look into the issue,” Soni said.

Soni has submitted a detailed report on the functioning of the Prasar Bharati board to the prime minister. The report has been submitted in the backdrop of the reported differences between Chief Executive Officer B S Lalli and the board members. Sources in the I&B Ministry said the report had been prepared in consultation wit the Union Law Ministry, and that it carried several suggestions from Soni on Prasar Bharati.