Mangalam TV

Last updated

Mangalam TV
Logo used since 2017
Country India
Broadcast area Indian sub-continent, Middle East, Europe, North America
Headquarters Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Programming
Language(s) Malayalam
Ownership
Owner Mangalam Publications
History
Launched26 March 2017;8 years ago (2017-03-26)
Closed31 January 2022;3 years ago (2022-01-31)
Links
WebsiteDissolved

Mangalam TV was an Indian 24-hour Malayalam-language free-to-air news channel headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

The channel ran into financial troubles and shut down all operations by the end of 2022. In early 2023, South Indian Bank confiscated its assets, including studio and equipment. [1]

Controversy

On its launch day, [2] Mangalam TV aired a telephonic audio clip in which Transport Minister AK Saseendran was allegedly heard speaking in a sexually explicit way to someone whom the channel claimed was a housewife. [3] [4] [5] Saseendran resigned as minister the same day. The Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, had inaugurated the channel launch. [6]

After initially denying allegations of a smear campaign, [7] Mangalam TV's CEO Ajith Kumar eventually apologised and admitted that it was a sting operation done by a female journalist employed by the channel. [8]

On 4 April, Kumar and four media people of the channel were arrested by the Kerala Police for airing an "obscene conversation" and for criminal conspiracy. [5] [9]

Later, Saseendran was acquitted in the case after the complainant, who had earlier alleged sexual harassment, turned hostile in court; he returned as Transport Minister. [10] [11]

References

  1. ↑ "ശശീന്ദ്രനും പൂച്ചക്കുട്ടിയും... മംഗളം പൂട്ടി; കടം കേറി മുടിഞ്ഞു മംഗളം ചാനൽ ലേലത്തിന്,..." www.malayalivartha.com.
  2. ↑ "mangalam tv: Launch-day sleaze puts TV CEO, four journalists in headlines | Thiruvananthapuram News - Times of India". The Times of India. 5 April 2017.
  3. ↑ "Minister A K Saseendran phone talk Mangalam tv exclusive launching YouTube 360p - YouTube". youtube.com. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Kerala minister AK Saseendran quits over alleged obscene phone call with woman". Hindustan Times. 26 March 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Kerala sleaze audio case: Mangalam TV channel CEO, 4 others arrested". Hindustan Times. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  6. ↑ Akshay (6 March 2017). "ചാനല്‍ മത്സരം കൊഴുപ്പിക്കാന്‍ മംഗളം ടെലിവിഷനും; മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി നിലവിളക്ക് കൊളുത്തി ഉദ്ഘാടനം ചെയ്തു". malayalam.oneindia.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "'Will you stop journalism if HONEY TRAP proved'?; Mangalam CEO tongue tied in Editors Hour - YouTube". youtube.com. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Mangalam TV CEO apologises for sting against former minister". The Indian Express. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  9. ↑ Legal, India (11 April 2017). "Trouble in store for Mangalam TV". India Legal. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  10. ↑ "NCP's AK Saseendran acquitted; set to return to Kerala state cabinet". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "After acquittal in sleaze talk case, AK Saseendran returns to Kerala cabinet". The Financial Express. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
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