Zee's 10 news channels will not be available free-to-air

The I&B Ministry revoked its permission after rival networks alleged that Zee had not paid for the slots.

Zee Network's 10 news channels will no longer be free-to-air, after the information and broadcasting ministry revoked their permission for simultaneous uplinking on Friday.

Rival networks ABP, TV9 and Network 18 had alleged that Zee had illegally put nine news channels on DD Free Dish without participating in auctions and paying for the slots. They approached the I&B Ministry that this gave Zee and 'unfair advantage' and increased the reach of Zee network. 

In an order on Friday, the ministry finally revoked the permission for free-to-air telecast of Zee Hindustan, Zee Rajasthan, Zee Punjab Haryana Himachal, Zee Bihar Jharkhand, Zee Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh, Zee Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand, Zee Salam, Zee 24 Kalak, Zee 24 Taas, and Zee Odisha.

The ministry noted that the channels were getting available on DD Free Dish because of the proximity and co-location of transponders of both DD Free Dish and Dish TV on the same satellite i.e. GSAT 15 Satellite and non-encryption of the signals by both of them.