Global media bodies urge India to allow MediaOne TV to operate freely

While welcoming the Kerala High Court court’s ruling of extending a stay on the Union government’s decision to cancel the license of news channel MediaOne, International Press Institute urged the government to drop its effort to shut down MediaOne over vague “national security” concerns.

“A government should not be able to arbitrarily cite ‘national security’ as grounds to withdraw a media outlet’s license,” IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen said.

On 31 January, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shut down the Malayalam news channel MediaOne TV, citing “national security reasons.” The channel was unable to broadcast for a few hours until the Kerala High Court issued a two-day stay, thereupon resuming its telecast. On 2 February, the court issued an extension of the stay, allowing operations to continue until February 7.

The Kerala High Court has directed the government to produce the relevant files by February 7, showing how the cancellation of MediaOne’s license relates to national security concerns. However, The assistant solicitor general of India, said it cannot reveal the information to the public but could produce it in a sealed cover.

“The closure of a television broadcaster amounts to a serious infringement on the public’s right to information and must therefore be subject to very strict procedural rules and guarantees that respect freedom of expression. The decision to cancel MediaOne’s license without a proper justification sets a dangerous precedent and should be swiftly reversed,” Griffen added.

MediaOne Editor Pramod Raman told Maktoob it does not know the grounds for why the permission would be revoked, noting that the order just states that the security clearance is based on “parameters” set by the Ministry of Home Affairs. There are no other grounds outlined.

“This is a denial of natural justice,” Raman said.

All broadcasters in India need to obtain a government security clearance to receive a broadcasting license. MediaOne has had one since 2011 and recently submitted renewal permission. The security clearance lasts for 10 years. On 5 January, the Ministry of Home Affairs, which approves the permission, issued a show-cause order to MediaOne, asking why its permission should be granted and not revoked.

The sudden ban had seen outrage from a wide array of people- politicians, media persons, activists.

Indian authorities should allow MediaOne TV to operate freely, and should not suspend broadcasters over their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists also urged.

“Indian authorities should not use vague security concerns to suspend broadcasters like MediaOne TV,” said Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator, in Washington, D.C.  “The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting must drop its bid to ban MediaOne TV and stop efforts to create such a harmful precedent.”

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Opposition Leader VD Satheeshan, Speaker M.B. Rajesh, MPs, MLAs, political parties, rights activists, and journalist bodies condemned the ban as an attempt to shackle media.

In March 2020, the Union govt imposed a 48-hour ban on MediaOne for its reportage on the Delhi pogrom alleging “channel seems to be critical towards Delhi Police and RSS.”