TV Today Network Limited’s Delhi NCR focused Hindi News channel Delhi Aaj Tak has shut down earlier today, as notified by India Today Group earlier at the end of May in a communique to distribution platform operators in Delhi-NCR.
The transmission of Delhi Aaj Tak which was available on Aaj Tak website, Delhi Aaj Tak YouTube channel, and Disney+ Hotstar stands discontinued with Delhi Aaj Tak delisted from Airtel’s website.
The shut down of Delhi Aaj Tak reduces TVTN’s offerings to 4 channels consisting Aaj Tak, Aaj Tak HD, India Today Television and Aaj Tak Tez. For the unaware, back in 2019 when the New Tariff Order came in TVTN had desisted from listing Delhi Aaj Tak in its Reference Interconnect Offer. The license was sometime later renamed as ‘Aaj Tak Desh’ although the same remains idle till date.
The closure of Delhi Aaj Tak according to TVTN was due to the tepid growth of the channel in the last 5 years. TV Today in a BSE filing had noted that its Delhi Aaj Tak channel contributed only 1% of the total revenues of the company income for the financial year ending March 31, 2020 which was Rs 370.93 lakhs out of the total income of Rs 89,956.62 lakhs of the company.
TV Today had further stated that the net worth contribution by Delhi Aaj Tak was also negligible with the business of Delhi Aaj Tak not growing over the last few years, hence it was not viable to continue with transmission and operations of Delhi Aaj Tak. The services of some of the people working in the channel is likely to be utilized more effectively in supporting the operations of the flagship channel of the company namely Aaj Tak.
