ITV

Tag: Harvest TV

  • Tiranga TV fires more than 200 employees, confiscates equipment

    Tiranga TV fires more than 200 employees, confiscates equipment

    MUMBAI: Kapil Sibal-led Tiranga TV has allegedly fired more than 200 employees and has confiscated their equipment as tweeted by senior journalist Barkha Dutt. Earlier, some employees had made similar allegations against the channel and had conducted a silent protest at the Press Club in Delhi on 3 July.

    It has also been alleged that the fired employees weren’t presented with fair remuneration at the time of their exit.

    In a series of tweets, Dutt has slammed Sibal and his wife for their unprofessional conduct towards the journalists. “Wife, (Promila Sibal) who ran a meat factory, says loudly in the workplace, "I shut down factory withut giving a paisa to labour, who are these journalists to ask for 6 months salary." Her labour should have been paid better, but her disparaing remarks of journalists is sickening (sic),” she wrote.

    She added that she is being told that Sibal and  his wife want to use the incumbent government as an excuse to shadow the events. Tiranga TV senior editor assignment Sushil Kotian, in an earlier interaction with Indiantelevision.com, had also denied the role of the government in the sudden shutdown.

    Dutt went on to reveal that she is being threatened with a defamation suit for fighting for the rights of the staff of the channel.

    Here is the complete thread:

  • Tiranga TV criticises govt move to restrict freedom of speech of TV content

    Tiranga TV criticises govt move to restrict freedom of speech of TV content

    MUMBAI: Tiranga TV has criticised the government’s move to censure it, saying it is unjustified. Recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) sent a notice to newly launched news channel Tiranga TV regarding telecast of a media briefing of Pakistan army spokesperson major general Asif Ghafoor on the Pulwama terror attack.

    “We have made it clear in our reply that we strongly condemn the attack on our forces and have in unequivocal term criticised Pakistan for patronising terrorism. However, we feel, by issuing the show cause notices to channels for airing the press briefing of Pakistani army spokesperson, the government once again is sitting in judgement upon content of free speech, expressed through the medium of television broadcast,” Veecon Media and Broadcasting Ltd president Deepak Choudhry commented in a reply to the notice.

    After the telecast, MIB warned Tiranga TV for violating the programming code of the Cable TV Networks Act by telecasting prohibitive content. The ministry also laid the logic that for the entire duration, there was no clarification or intervention from the channel on the correctness of the claims being made.

    As per reports, 12 other channels have also received such notices including ABP News, Surya Samachar, Zee Hindustan, TOTAL TV, ABP Majha, News18 Lokmat, Jai Maharashtra, News18 Gujarati, News24, News Nation, Sandesh News and News18 India.

    In a 14 February directive, the MIB warned all private TV channels to strictly adhere to programming guidelines, which came in the wake of the J&K attack. Channels were told not to show content that is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes and/or contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation and ensure that no such content is telecast which is violative of the codes. This was even passed around to channels by NBA, NBSA and IBF.

    The MIB said that Tiranga TV is in violation of the code and also this advisory by telecasting the news piece. Tiranga TV is backed by Congress leader Kapil Sibal and was recently given the permission by the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal to change its name from Harvest TV to Tiranga TV.

  • Tiranga TV gets MIB show cause notice for airing Pakistani army press conference

    Tiranga TV gets MIB show cause notice for airing Pakistani army press conference

    MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has warned Tiranga TV for violating the programming code of the Cable TV Networks Act by telecasting prohibitive content. The notice says that Tiranga TV telecast a media briefing of Pakistan army spokesperson major general Asif Ghafoor on Pulwama terror attack between 3.41- 4.02 on 22 February 2019.

    The ministry says that for the entire duration, there was no clarification or intervention from the channel on the correctness of the claims being made. Because of this, it violated two rules:

    Rule 6[1] (e): No programme should be carried in the cable service which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promote anti-national attitudes

    Rule 6[1] (h): No programme should be carried in the cable service which contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation

    In a 14 February directive, the MIB warned all private TV channels to strictly adhere to programming guidelines, which came in the wake of the J&K attack. Channels were told not to show content that is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes and/or contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation and ensure that no such content is telecast which is violative of the codes. This was even passed around to channels by NBA, NBSA and IBF.

    By telecasting the news piece, the MIB says that Tiranga TV is in violation of the code and also this advisory. The channel has been given seven days to respond with a reason why action should not be taken against it.

    In response, Veecon Media and Broadcasting (which runs Tiranga TV) president Deepak Choudhry said, “We were surprised to receive the notice from the I&B ministry. Like all Indians, we are outraged by the terror attack in Pulwama and stand firmly with the armed forces. Our programming has focused on how Pakistan must pay for its patronage of terrorism. The press conference of the Pakistan army spokesman was only carried as part of overall news coverage. We do not subscribe to his views at all and many of our special programs explicitly countered his views. That said, we wonder if we are being targeted. There are channels that have done big interviews with Pervez Musharraf who was responsible for Kargil as well as Shiekh Rashid a known India baiter. These channels have not received any notice. In our channel we have not been calling Pakistani guests for these discussions at all.”

    Tiranga TV is backed by Congress leader Kapil Sibal and was recently given the permission by the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal to change its name from Harvest TV to Tiranga TV.

    As per reports, 12 other channels have also received such notices including ABP News, Surya Samachar, Zee Hindustan, TOTAL TV, ABP Majha, News18 Lokmat, Jai Maharashtra, News18 Gujarati, News24, News Nation, Sandesh News and News18 India. 

  • TDSAT permits Harvest TV to be renamed Tiranga TV

    TDSAT permits Harvest TV to be renamed Tiranga TV

    MUMBAI: Veecon Media and Broadcasting Pvt Ltd has been granted interim relief by Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) permitting it to use the name ‘Tiranga TV’ for its news and current affairs channel that is currently called ‘Harvest TV’

    Confirming the news, Veecon Media and Broadcasting chairman Deepak Choudhry told Indiantelevision.com, “Such relief from TDSAT could not have come at more appropriate time, when M/s Harvest Television Network Pvt Ltd, who claims to own the trade mark for ‘Harvest TV’, has filed suit against Veecon before the District Court at Thiruvananthapuram for restraining Veecon from using the name and logo, which has any resemblance with the name ‘Harvest TV’. Veecon had permission from the I&B Ministry to use the name and logo ‘Harvest TV’ and had been pursuing its case with the I&B Ministry for the change of name since September 2017. Finally, today it has succeeded is getting a change of name to ‘Tiranga TV’.”

    However, the Kapil Sibal-backed channel will not be using the three colours of the national flag in its logo, pertaining to the fact that it might be against the relevant provisions of 1950 Act and Flag Code, 2002. TDSAT said in its order, “Without expressing any final opinion on the issue noticed above, we are of the considered view that the name Tiranga itself is not covered by the Schedule of 1950 Act nor is subject matter of Flag Code.  However, this may not strictly apply to the use of the three colors which is there in the emblem of Tiranga TV.”

    It added, “We are also aware that petitioner (Veecon Media and Broadcasting Pvt Ltd) itself had opted for some other name in the interregnum but during submissions,  it has been highlighted that change of name may adversely affect the reputation, goodwill and business of the petitioner, and hence Mr Sibal has submitted that the petitioner voluntarily undertakes not to use the colors on the name and logo but simply use the words “Tiranga TV”, as submitted in its application.  In other words, he has offered that petitioner will not use the colors saffron and green in the name and logo of Tiranga TV until the issue is finally decided as per the orders of this Tribunal or otherwise in accordance with law.”

    On a relevant note, Kerala-based Christian devotional channel Harvest TV, owned by Bibi George Chacko, had earlier accused Veecon of ‘riding on the goodwill and reputation of Harvest TV’ by using its name and logo, the permission for which was granted for only two years that, which expired on 31 January 2018. Responding to the claim Veecon asserted that Chacko can get the issue decided only through an appropriate court or authority. TDSAT had given Veecon the permission to use the name Harvest TV for its channel till further orders.  

  • TDSAT gives govt 10 days to respond to Harvest TV name change petition

    TDSAT gives govt 10 days to respond to Harvest TV name change petition

    MUMBAI: Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), on 30 January, granted 10 days’ time to the government to reply to a broadcasting petition filed by Veecon Media and Broadcasting Pvt Ltd, stating that the government has been ignoring its request to change the name and logo of Congress leader Kapil Sibal-backed Harvest TV, which it had made in September 2017.

    The government had requested time to share details of ‘some show cause notices’ that have been ‘issued to Veecon Media and Broadcasting Pvt Ltd in respect of its shareholding as well as the use of the name “Harvest TV” for its channel’ and other ‘relevant facts’.

    The tribunal has directed that till further orders, Veecon can run its news and current affairs channel under the same name, without any hindrance. The next hearing of the case has been scheduled for 5 March 2019.

    The decision comes just a day after Sibal accused the government of creating a hindrance for Harvest TV stating that the centre is trying to stifle the voice of dissent.

    Presenting its case in front of TDSAT, Veecon had also shared that a show cause notice that was served to it on 29 January supports the apprehension that there may be strong efforts to prevent it from using the name “Harvest TV” and on account it may be prevented from running its TV channel under that name. It mentioned, “The respondent (Union of India) has not taken note of petitioner’s (Veecon’s) application filed for a change of name and logo of its channel to Tiranga TV”.

    Kerala-based Christian devotional channel Harvest TV, owned by Bibi George Chacko, had earlier accused Veecon of ‘riding on the goodwill and reputation of Harvest TV’ by using its name and logo, the permission for which was granted for only two years that, which expired on 31 January 2018. Responding to the claim Veecon asserted that Chacko can get the issue decided only through an appropriate court or authority.

  • New English news channel Harvest TV to launch on Republic Day

    New English news channel Harvest TV to launch on Republic Day

    MUMBAI: As the general elections are inching closer, media veterans are set to launch several news ventures. Harvest TV is expected to be the first off the blocks. The English news channel, which has congressman Kapil Sibal as one of its promoters, is set to go on air from 26 January, according to a report by ‘ThePrint’.

    Harvest TV is owned by Veecon Media that already has licences for English, Hindi and other regional language channels. The news venture will see the return of high-profile journalists Barkha Dutt, Karan Thapar and Punya Prasun Bajpai.

    The channel’s uplinking and downlinking will be done by Intelsat-17.

    Dutt will anchor a prime show and so will Thapar. Other prominent TV anchors such as Seemi Pasha (ex-India Today) and Vineet Malhotra (ex-Times Now) are also expected to be a part of the channel.

    According to ThePrint, the launch preparations are on in full swing. The promos are being shot now and will be on air before the launch.

    Another channel to be launched on the same date is Republic Media Network’s Hindi news channel, Republic Bharat. In a recent announcement, the network has elevated Vikas Khanchandani as group CEO and also appointed Bhaskar Das as the group president.

    Hemant Sharma, formerly of India TV, is also working on launching a Hindi channel for the TV9 group, along with journalists Vinod Kapri and Ajit Anjum.