The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting denied broadcasting license to Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited to uplink and downlink the Malayalam news channel MediaOne after the Ministry of Home Affairs denied “security clearance”.
The Ministry in its order on Monday, says that the “uplinking guidelines stipulates that security clearance to the company and its directors is a prerequisite condition for grant of permission for TV channels.”
MediaOne has been operational since 2013. They got the broadcasting licence first on September 30, 2011. The channel had moved an application for renewal of permission. “Whereas, the Ministry of Home Affairs has denied the security clearance to M/s. Madhayamam Broadcasting Limited for renewal of permission for uplinking and downlinking of News and Current Affairs TV channel MediaOne,” the Ministry order says.
Show cause notice
The Ministry had served a show cause notice to MediaOne on January 5, asking them why the permission granted to them should not be revoked.
In response, on January 19, MediaOne said that they are “unaware of the grounds for denial of security clearance”. The order does not clarify what are the grounds for denying the security clearance, except saying that the security clearance is based on “parameters” set by MHA.
This is the second instance when the telecast of MediaOne was suspended. In 2020 too their telecast was suspended temporarily for their coverage of the Delhi riots.
