The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) earlier today cancelled three TV licenses held by Turner International India Private Limited post the shutdown of HBO, HBO HD, and WB. The Ministry has today cancelled all three TV licenses namely HBO, HBO HD, and WB with immediate effect. The Ministry has given ‘Not Required’ as the reason for the cancellation of the TV licenses.
For the unversed, WarnerMedia International had earlier this year announced the shuttering down of HBO, HBO SD, and WB in India effective 15th December with the channels departing distribution platform operators effective 16th December. With WarnerMedia scaling down operations in India and the TV licenses no longer needed, the Ministry has done away with the TV licenses.
| Channel | Company | Date of Cancellation of Permission | Reason for Cancellation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HBO | TURNER INTERNATIONAL INDIA PVT. LTD. | 31/12/2020 | Not required |
| HBO HD | TURNER INTERNATIONAL INDIA PVT. LTD. | 31/12/2020 | Not required |
| WB | TURNER INTERNATIONAL INDIA PVT. LTD. | 31/12/2020 | Not required |
The number of cancelled TV channel licenses as of date stands at 328. The Ministry is reported to have recently cancelled downlinking permission for the two TV channels with immediate effect viz. “NHK World Premium” and “NHK World TV” according to Hinduja Group-owned NXT DIGITAL. The Ministry is however yet to update its portal with the cancellation of the licenses.
