Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said that some IP TVs will be approved by August. However, according to the policy, news cannot be broadcast from these TVs, he said.
He was responding to a reporter’s question at a briefing on contemporary issues in the conference room of the Information Ministry at the Secretariat this afternoon.
The Information Minister said, “No IP TV is allowed in the country. We have already started giving registration and application has been called. In all, about 600 applications have been submitted. We will approve it very soon, within this month. Since we have not started giving approval, there is no approval. ‘
An IP TV has been shut down over the Helena Jahangir issue. There are more IP TVs in the country, which have no approval. Asked whether any action would be taken against them, the minister said, no IP TV was allowed in the country. We have already started the registration process and the application has been called. In all, about 600 applications have been submitted. We will give some approvals very soon, within this month.
The minister said, some IP TVs are operated in the interest of individuals. Then it spreads all kinds of confusion, spreads all kinds of programs, serves the news. We will take action if any complaint is brought to our notice. Action has already been taken against many. Similar measures have been taken in his case.
Noting that none of them have been approved yet, he said Helena Jahangir’s IP TV is also not approved.
Hasan Mahmud also said that there are many allegations against some IP TVs. “We take action at different times in the wake of the allegations,” he said.
Regarding news coverage, Minister said, “Because even our mainstream TVs are not allowed to cover news at the beginning. After running for 6 months and a year, they have to apply for news again, then they get approval. ‘
He said, ‘There are many IPTVs in the country and many IPTVs will come. It is not desirable to spread confusion by serving news like that. Therefore, the policy that has been passed says that the approval of IPTV registration will be given by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
