I&B Ministry
MIB permits Sun TV, Star India to rename channels
MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has approved a total of four applications from Star India and Sun TV to rename their channels.
The newly renamed channels are Star Sports 1 Bangla, Star Sports 1 Marathi, Sun Marathi and Sun Bangla.
In a bid to showcase animated movies to the viewers, Star India had earlier planned to launch Star Movies Kids SD and HD, which has now been renamed to Star Sports 1 Marathi.
Star Sports 1 Bangla launched on 5 March with an MRP of Rs 19. Apart from this, the broadcaster had launched three more channels—Star Sports 3, Star Sports 1 Telugu and Star Sports 1 Kannada.
Likewise, Sun TV got the nod from MIB to rename Udaya News and Gemini News to Sun Marathi and Sun Bangla respectively. Earlier, it was reported that Sun TV Network will be investing Rs 300 crore in the coming years to launch regional channels in Bengali and Marathi. While the Bengali channel was to go on air from February onwards, the Marathi channel will be up in a year's time.
So far, Sun TV has been focused on the five South Indian states — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana — and has 33 channels.
Sun TV group CFO S L Narayanan said, "After the launch of the Bengali channel, the Marathi channel is expected to be launched in the next one year. Both of these channels are expected to achieve their break-even in two years of operations."
I&B Ministry
Govt extends TRP suspension for news channels by four weeks amid concerns
I&B ministry cites sensationalism fears linked to West Asia conflict coverage
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has extended the suspension of Television Rating Points for news channels by another four weeks, keeping the industry in a ratings blackout for a longer stretch.
In an order dated March 31, the ministry directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council to continue withholding TRP data “for a further period of four weeks or until further directions, whichever is earlier.” This marks the second such directive after an initial four-week pause was imposed on March 6.
The government said the extension is aimed at curbing unwarranted sensationalism and speculative reporting, particularly in the context of the ongoing tensions in West Asia. It noted that the conflict continues to evolve and could trigger anxiety among viewers, especially those with personal or economic ties to the region.
TRPs serve as the primary yardstick for measuring television viewership and play a crucial role in shaping advertising revenues and competitive positioning among news broadcasters. Their absence effectively removes a key performance benchmark, forcing channels to operate without publicly available ratings.
The directive applies specifically to news television channels and has been issued under the government’s regulatory powers in the interest of public order. While the move is framed as a temporary measure, its continuation suggests ongoing concerns about the tone and nature of coverage.
For broadcasters, the extended blackout means navigating a high-stakes news cycle without the usual scoreboard. Whether it tempers the noise or simply shifts the battle elsewhere remains to be seen, but for now, the ratings race is officially on pause.
