New Delhi: A week after an unofficial ban on them by the YSRCP government, Telugu TV channels TV5 and ABN Andhra Jyoti have remained off-air in many places in the state. The two channels were taken off air allegedly for doing anti-government stories, the executives of the channels said.
The Editors Guild of India, in a statement, pledged support to the TV channels and asked the Andhra Pradesh government to clarify if it was indeed behind the unofficial ban.
“The Editors Guild of India is distressed to note that an unwritten ban has been imposed by the YSR Congress-led government in Andhra Pradesh on two Telugu news channels — TV5 and ABN. Such restrictions strike at the root of press freedom. The Guild urges the Andhra Pradesh government to clarify if it indeed has in any way been responsible for the stoppage in telecasting of these two television channels. If so, it should immediately rescind any such order,” said the Guild.
It added that if it was indeed behind the ban, the government should withdraw any such order as it compromises press freedom. “The Guild urges the government not to create a situation where the constitutionally and legally mandated freedoms of media representatives are compromised.”
While it is still uncertain whether the YSRCP was behind the ban, the channels have taken legal recourse by taking various cable operators to court. The channel executives say the operators have violated contracts and TRAI rules, which state that operators cannot disconnect a channel without giving it 21 days’ notice and a valid reason.
The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal on 20 September ordered that both channels be restored within 24 hours for private operators and 48 hours for the government-operated Fibernet.
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