EC okays 24-hr news channel, with a rider

Describing the Prasar Bharati Corporation as State-owned media and expressing concern at the possible misuse of news and related programmes, the Election Commission today gave its nod to 24-hour DD-News channel with a rider that the Corporation would ensure its ‘‘neutrality, objectivity and fairness’’ during the ‘‘sensitive’’ period of Assembly polls.

With a Rs 51 crore grant, downscaled from Rs 131 crore, the 24-hour metro channel, armed with old and new anchors, will be recast as news channel from November 3. An official statement today has also made it mandatory for cable operators to carry DD-News along with DD-National and one regional channel on cable. This is because under the Cable Act, it is mandatory for operators to carry two terrestrial channels of DD with a regional channel. As DD-News will take the place of Metro, it will have to be carried.

The EC had received complaints and reports expressing serious apprehensions that the proposed news channel could be used in a manner which was likely to give an unfair advantage to the ruling coalition.