NBF condemns the arbitrary blackout of Puthiya Thalaimurai news channel by TACTV

The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) expresses its strongest condemnation of the blatant and undemocratic blackout of Puthiya Thalaimurai news channel by the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Network (TACTV) across the State of Tamil Nadu. This arbitrary and opaque action, carried out without any explanation, justification, or due process, is nothing short of institutional censorship — a direct assault on the freedom of the press and the citizens’ constitutional right to information.

Puthiya Thalaimurai has, over the years, stood as a pillar of fearless and independent journalism in Tamil Nadu — committed to truth, accountability, and the public interest. Silencing such a credible voice through a government-controlled cable network is a dangerous misuse of state power. It sends a chilling message to all media houses that critical reporting can be punished by arbitrary exclusion, undermining the very foundations of free and fair journalism in India.

It is unacceptable that a state-owned network, funded by public resources, has chosen to act as a tool of suppression rather than as a neutral carrier of information. Such misuse of public infrastructure to selectively block a legitimate news channel destroys public trust and represents a serious conflict with the democratic values enshrined in our Constitution.

The NBF demands the immediate and unconditional restoration of Puthiya Thalaimurai News Channel on all platforms of Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Network. The Federation further urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to hold accountable those responsible for this blackout and to reaffirm its commitment to press freedom and non-discriminatory access to state infrastructure.

We also call upon the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to urgently intervene and frame strict regulatory safeguards preventing any state or private distribution platform from weaponizing carriage control to silence the media.

This blackout is not merely an act against one channel — it is an attack on every journalist, every newsroom, and every citizen’s right to know. NBF stands firmly and unequivocally with Puthiya Thalaimurai News Channel and reaffirms that any attempt to muzzle independent journalism will be met with a united and forceful resistance from the entire broadcasting fraternity.