News Broadcasting
ATN Canada takes Zee TV battle to Canadian regulator
MUMBAI: There’s some sparring happening in the land of the maple leaf. Ethnic TV platform – The Asian Television Network (ATN) – which delivers some 40 language channels to South Asian communities in Canada and run by Shan Chandrasekar has filed a formal complaint with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) against Zee TV’s Canada service, operated by the Ethnic Channel Group (ECG).
In a letter dated 3 June to the CRTC, ATN has complained that Zee TV Canada has shifted away from its licensed brief to provide a television service targeted at women in the Hindi-speaking community there and has started targeting general viewers. According to ATN, Zee TV Canada was licensed initially as a niche third-language ethnic specialty Category B service targeted at Hindi speaking women. It has since expanded to providing general entertainment programming, which means it has gone beyond its classification.
ATN, in the complaint, has said it had a licensing agreement for airing Zee TV programming on its specialty Category A service South Asian Television (SATV) for a number of years until January 2013 when it could not renew its content purchase agreement. SATV, is among the six authorised third-language general entertainment television services afforded protection under Canadian law. As part of that if the CRTC does license a specialty service in the same language as one of the existing third-language Category A services, the new third-language service would be packaged as a buy-through with the existing third-language Category A service of the same language, says the ATN complaint. To get around this restriction several foreign broadcasters are applying for the specialty category B service only to launch them later as a general interest service. ATN says that this is hurting its interests.
In the specific case of Zee TV Canada, it says that, as of March 2013 it is offering programming which is between 70 per cent and 90 per cent in Hindi, offering competition to SATV. It further goes on to clarify that in the number of press releases that the Ethnic Channel Group Ltd (EGCL) has made in launching Zee TV Canada there has not been one mention of launching a niche programming service for women. It has rather emphasised on the fact that Zee TV is an international programming service and a leading South Asian media brand available globally to 650 million viewers in 169 countries.
As almost 100% of programming from Zee TV (global) is shown on Zee TV Canada, these statements serve to show that this service is an all encompassing general interest programming service rather than a niche programming service as ECGL had proposed in its service approved in Decision 2013-53 with the CRTC.
Apart from the complaint, ATN has also sent across a package of 128 DVD recordings of two different one-week periods of Zee TV programming emphasising that it is offering mass appeal programming that is directed at the Hindi-speaking community at large.
The two options which ATN feels can help resolve the situation are: first, if Zee TV Canada is not a niche programming service, ECGL should file an application for the purpose of receiving proper authorisation from the CRTC to continue operating there. Secondly, if ECGL is indeed operating a general interest Hindi-language Category B service, then the service should be a buy-through with the Category A SATV Hindi-language service, as penciled in the law.
So when Indiantelevison.com contacted Zee TV’s US office, head of sale Zee TV USA Sameer Targe said, “The complaint is absolutely false, ATN is not able to digest the fact that Zee has moved its business from it to EGCL. This ending ATN’s so called monopoly in the Canada market.”
He further clarified that Zee TV Canada is a women oriented Hindi language channel and it has been granted the same license by CRTC.
All we can do is play the waiting game as a response for ECGL is due on 3 September.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
