Republic TV has assured HC it doesn’t do multiple placings: India Today

Following Delhi High Court rejecting a plea filed by the TV Today Network against Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV in the ongoing row over use of multiple frequency feeds, an India Today spokesperson told the media that in India Today’s writ petition, Republic TV had categorically assured the Delhi High Court that it does not do multiple placings of its channels in different genres and High Court order so recorded. 

Delhi High Court also noted ongoing TRAI investigation against channels allegedly doing so. On basis of this specific assurance by Republic TV, India Today withdrew its writ petition. 

The spokesperson further stated, “Anything to the contrary suggested by Republic TV is a patent distortion and misrepresentation of the Delhi High Court order.” 

Prior to its move of pulling out of BARC, TV Today Network – which owns India Today Television and Aaj Tak news channels – had petitioned to the High Court to stall the release of Republic TV’s ratings by BARC India, stating that the channel had resorted to ‘unlawful’ practices of running onto multiple logical channel numbers (LCNs) in violation of Telecom Regularity Authority of India (TRAI). 

The High Court stated that the issue was between the broadcasters, multi-system operators (MSOs) and TRAI and needed to be examined by them. 

Reacting to the development, Vikas Khanchandani, CEO, Republic TV, remarked, “The key office bearers of NBA must introspect and self reflect. They have used an industry body and adopted a blatantly partisan attitude to drive their personal agenda, which has diluted NBA’s stature.” 

Meanwhile, in the case of commission of offences of theft, criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property and infringement of IPR filed by Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd (BCCL) against Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami and Prema Sridevi, the Delhi High Court has issued a legal notice Goswami.