Hathway Cable removes NDTV India from popular channel packs, Ravish Kumar asks for support

According to NDTV India, the TV cable provider Hathway Cable and Datacom has dropped Hindi media outlet NDTV India from its popular channel packs. “Customers of the cable provider should call the customer care line and inquire why the NDTV India channel has been deleted”, the channel stated on September 3 via its Twitter handle.

Suparna Singh, the head of NDTV Convergence, and Ravish Kumar, senior executive editor, asked Twitter users to tweet the cable network provider using their official Twitter accounts.

Taking this whole controversy on Twitter, Swaparna Singh wrote, “@ndtvindia removed by @HathwayCableTV from some popular packs. Our team talking to them to resolve this. To support @ndtvindia, pls tweet @HathwayCableTV or call them: 1800 4197 900; 0120 6836401.”

Ravish Kumar, on the other hand, posted a video clip that was disseminated throughout NDTV’s social media accounts.

In his Prime Time Show, Kumar stated that TV news networks are frequently withdrawn from channel packs due to operational difficulties. This situation, however, is unique. The crew puts forth a lot of work to produce primetime shows for NDTV, therefore it’s not good when it can’t reach the audience due to deliberate obstacles imposed by others (read government).

Kumar stated that the team will keep working. The audience may not be able to see the programme. But, history will record that this was the programme that is worth watching, he added.

He also tweeted, “@ndtvindia To @HathwayCableTV Removed from its popular pack. We are trying to solve the matter. In your @HathwayCableTV cable, if @ndtvindia is not coming. Tweet this and call on these numbers and ask for the connection of the channel. 1800 4197 900; 0120 6836401.”

Why Is It Controversial?
The answer is obvious if you can connect the dots.

Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries owns Hathway cable. It is alleged that the Ambanis’ cooperative connection with the present establishment is considerably more than business cooperation.

It is clear why NDTV was withdrawn from the Hathway, according to critics of the present administration who feel that NDTV as a news station still believes in challenging the ruling government and not surrendering to their propaganda.

Instead of allowing customers to choose what they want to view, they have eliminated the channels they don’t want them to watch.

Not The First Time When NDTV Faces Obstacles
This is not the first time when NDTV is facing such controversy. Earlier in 2016, the ministry of information and broadcasting had passed an order to stop the transmission to re-transmission of NDTV on any platform across the India. However, the order was was criticised by multiple media house and citizens and later the order was withdrawn.

Last year, Jio TV removed NDTV from its channel packs and attracted lots of controversies.

There have been instances where local cable companies have been unable to access NDTV. It was even removed from several DTH platforms at one point.

Dish TV used to ask you to call them and personally confirm that you wanted NDTV included in your package because it was taken out of all preset packs. The Newster