Mystery over NaMo TV channel category: Tata Sky clarifies it is not “news service” channel, EC seeks report

NaMo TV is “not a Hindi news service”, but a “special service via internet that does not require a government licence”, DTH service provider Tata Sky clarified on Thursday.

Earlier, in a tweet, Tata Sky – a leading Direct To Home (DTH) satellite television service provider – had tweeted that NaMo TV is a “Hindi news service which provides the latest breaking news on national politics”.

But Harit Nagpal, the CEO of Tata Sky, told NDTV that “NaMo TV is not a Hindi News service. If someone in the frontline at Tata Sky has tweeted or said that it is a news service, it is a mistake.”

Launched on March 31, the channel has generated considerable interest and controversy with Opposition parties complaining to the Election Commission of India that it was being used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to campaign ahead of elections in violation of the model code of conduct.

It carries the initials and image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on its logo and is dedicated to broadcasting his speeches and that of other BJP leaders.

With no information available on who funds or owns the channel, it has emerged as a matter of contention that the channel was launched just before the elections with the intent of carrying out political propaganda for the BJP through different DTH and cable service providers.

Nagpal also told NDTV that NaMo TV “does not fall into any genre” and the feed is “coming from the BJP via Internet”. “Special services do not need a license,” he added.

Interestingly, there is no option to delete the channel as it has been added to all subscribers as a launch offer.

The EC has asked the ministry of Information & Broadcasting to file a report on the matter after complaints reached it from various opposition parties. The PM has urged viewers to follow the channel through his tweet asking them to watch the #MainBhiChowkidar programme on it.

Asked to comment on the NaMo channel, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley told the media that “appropriate authorities” would comment on it.