Tamil Nadu’s leading news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai was allegedly taken off air by the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Limited (TACTV) on Saturday, October 4, 2025, leading to strong reactions from journalists and viewers. The move, reportedly made without prior notice, has revived debates over political control of state-run media distribution and freedom of expression.
According to sources, Puthiya Thalaimurai was removed from the TACTV network, which carries over 150 channels to subscribers across Tamil Nadu. The reason for the removal has not been officially disclosed. Following discussions between the channel’s management and TACTV officials, the channel was reportedly restored in some districts, though it remains unavailable in others.
The Chennai Press Club issued a statement condemning the development, saying that suspending or blocking a news channel’s telecast without prior notice amounted to suppression of press freedom. The organisation urged TACTV to restore the channel immediately, noting that such actions undermine the principles of free and fair journalism.
TACTV officials, including chairman Brajendra Navnit, were unavailable for comment.
This is not the first time Puthiya Thalaimurai has faced such a disruption. In 2017, the channel was temporarily removed from the Arasu Cable network after airing a survey related to the RK Nagar by-election, which was reportedly viewed as unfavourable to politician V.K. Sasikala.
The latest incident has also drawn attention from within Tamil media circles. Commentators have pointed out that when Puthiya Thalaimurai was taken off air during the previous AIADMK government, the channel had publicly raised the issue through its own broadcasts and social media handles. However, this time, despite reports of its removal circulating widely, the channel itself has not made any official statement or post about the issue on its platforms.
Observers note that the incident has also reignited debate over the government’s management of Arasu Cable, which was originally launched to ensure equal access and prevent private monopolies in cable television distribution. Critics allege that the selective inclusion or exclusion of channels based on political convenience contradicts the very principles of equality and justice that the government claims to uphold.
Meanwhile, Tamil Janam TV, another Tamil news channel, has alleged that it has been consistently denied inclusion on Arasu Cable for the past two years despite being available on major private platforms such as Tata Sky, Airtel, Jio, TCCL, and GTPL. Tamil Janam’s editor Anand T. Prasad said the government’s refusal to carry their channel raises questions about political bias and lack of transparency.
புதிய தலைமுறைக்கு வந்தால் ரத்தம்!?
தமிழ் ஜனத்திற்கு வந்தால் தக்காளி சட்னியா!?#TamilJanam #Puthiyathalaimurai pic.twitter.com/Wu9ncEhBCB
— Anand T Prasad (@itisatp) October 5, 2025
Media analysts have pointed out that Arasu Cable was originally launched to ensure equal access and to prevent monopolies by private operators. However, the selective inclusion and exclusion of news channels based on political considerations has raised serious questions about transparency and accountability in the government’s media policy.
(With inputs from The New Indian Express)
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