MIB cancels 5 Sony Pictures Network India license

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has today cancelled five TV licenses of Sony Pictures Network India (SPN).

The ministry has cancelled the five licenses with the reason for all cancellations provided as ‘not required’. Sony Pictures Network India’s (SPN) five licenses namely SAB Punjabi, SAB Tamil, Sony Pix 2 HD, Sony Pix-2 and Six 2 have been cancelled.

The cancellation leaves the number of permitted private satellite TV channels at 910 as on 31st October 2019. The number of cancelled TV channels as on 31s October 2019 stands at 287. The non-operation of the channel could be the reason behind the cancellation.

SAB Tamil license was granted on 19 February 2016 with SAB Punjabi granted 3 days later on the 22nd. Sony Pix 2 license was granted on 25 November 2016 with Sony Pix 2 HD a month later on 26 December. Six 2 license was granted on 6th April 2016. The channels never went with the licenses lying idle.

The ministry had 10 days back cancelled around 17 licenses which included 4 of Zee Media’s licenses. Zee Media’s 4 four licenses 1 Chennai, 1 Delhi, 1 Mumbai, and 1 Kolkata granted last year in September were cancelled.