The government has granted permission to 237 new TV channels over the last six years and to five TV channels in the financial year 2023-24. Due to mergers of companies, permission for 28 TV channels has been transferred over the last six years.
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur cited these figures in response to an unstarred question by DMK MP D M Kathir Anand in the Lok Sabha. The MP had asked about foreign direct investment in private broadcasting, details of channels which were sold or “annexed”, and new channels started by corporate firms over the last six years.
