Skip to content Skip to navigation

JFA expresses grave concern at news channel closure

By AT News |
Employees of Guwahati based news channel Prime News

Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) has expressed grave concern at the shut down of Prime News by its management leaving more than 170 employees including journalists jobless. Extending supports to various protest demonstrations organized by the Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA) against the closure notice of the 24x7 satellite news channel, the JFA has urged the State chief minister Tarun Gogoi to intervene on the mater for the benefit of the affected employees of Prime News.

The employees of the Guwahati based private news channel, lately run by the Suresh Prithani owned Brahmaputra Infrastructure private limited, had informed that the news channel was shut down on October 1 citing the reason of huge financial crisis. The management apprised the employees that it had to pay nearly rupees two crore to the cable operators of Assam as a distribution fees, which it did not materialize. It was resulted in the black-out of Prime News for nearly three weeks in the last month.

As the Prime News was also not available in any Direct To Home (DTH) service too, the news channel was virtually not visible for all these days resulting a very poor TRP reading. Taking advantage of the situation, the proprietor of the channel had suddenly decided to close down it, said a statement issued today by the JFA president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria.

The Assam based scribe body argues that the money received by the cable operators annually from the Guwahati based privately-owned television channels for facilitating the distribution among the subscribers should be made taxable. Moreover the cable operators should be asked to provide due receipts to the subscribers against their monthly charge of rupees 200 to 300 for the service. Assam with a population of over 30 million supports 26 morning dailies and seven privately owned satellite news channels with few entertainment & cable channels. These channels beam news and other programs in various languages, primarily in Assamese with English, Hindi, Bengali and various regional languages to virtually cater the need of nearly 60 million populace of the alienated northeastern region of India.

In a recent letter to Manish Tewari, Union Information and Broadcasting minister, the employees of Prime News alleged that their management abruptly informed them about the closure. However, the management has not given any formal closure notice till now. It is heard that the management has taken a new partner to run the channel who wanted all the employees to be sacked, added in the letter. Maintaining its earlier request to the Union government to design a comprehensive DTH arrangement where all the recognized channels be made available, the JFA insisted that the newly designed system should help the subscribers to get the ‘freedom to select a channel’ of their choice with or without regular payments.

The EMFA had lately organized a human chain covering the faces of agitators with black strips in front of Guwahati Press Club on October 4 to raise voices against the closure of Prime News. Hundreds of participants also shouted slogans demanding to improve the working condition of media persons in Assam with due salary and other facilities.

The JFA statement concluded with the appeal to the conscious citizens and the civil society groups of Assam to stand beside the employees of Prime News at this moment of crisis and uncertainties.

  • 20521 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Voting Underway Across Assam; Steady Turnout, Peaceful Polling

Voting for the Assam Assembly elections gathered steady momentum through the morning hours on April 9, with scenes from across the state reflecting a strong and participatory democratic exercise. By mid-morning, polling booths were already witnessing long queues, as men and women, young voters and the elderly alike, stepped out early to cast their votes. The initial hours after 9 AM saw a smooth and peaceful polling process, backed by visible security presence and efficient booth management. In Guwahati, the day unfolded with a calm yet purposeful energy. Polling stations across the city saw a steady stream of voters, many arriving with family members, some even accompanied by children,...

From Dance Floors to Screen: The Journey of Susovan Sonu Roy

Susovan Sonu Roy has steadily carved a place for himself across multiple creative fields—Bengali television, modelling, and films—building his career through persistence, training, and adaptability. Born in Howrah, Susovan spent his formative years between Kolkata and Guwahati. His early life was marked by hardship after losing his father in an accident at a young age. Raised by his mother under challenging circumstances, he went on to complete his graduation in Commerce from Dum Dum Motijheel Rabindra Mahavidyalaya in 2016. His entry into the performing arts began with dance. Driven by interest, he joined a dance institute where he trained in Western dance for nearly two years....

Row Erupts Over Alleged Foreign Wealth Links of Assam CM’s Family

A major political controversy has erupted around Himanta Biswa Sarma after the Congress party levelled serious allegations regarding the alleged accumulation of vast wealth abroad by his family, particularly involving his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma. According to a report by The Wire, Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed that assets worth nearly ₹52,000 crore have been stashed overseas, particularly in the United States, through a company allegedly linked to the Chief Minister’s family. At a press conference in New Delhi, Khera alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma holds multiple foreign passports and questioned the source of such large-scale wealth. He further demanded a probe and even called...

Tai-Ahom Organisations Renew Autonomy Demand, Hold Press Meet in Dispur

Guwahati, April 3, 2026: The Moung-Dun-Chun-Kham State Demand Committee and the Moung-Dun-Chun-Kham People’s Party on Friday held a press conference at the Dispur Press Club, reiterating their demand for permanent political rights and autonomy for the Tai-Ahom community in Assam. Addressing the media, representatives of the organisations stated that despite the Tai-Ahom community’s historical and demographic significance, successive governments have failed to provide meaningful constitutional safeguards. “At present, almost all indigenous communities of Assam… have been raising demands for autonomy or self-determination under the Indian Constitution,” the press release noted,...

Youth Leaders Unite in Cachar to Champion River Governance and Community Resilience

A three-day workshop titled “Youth Leaders for Rivers: Learning Workshop” concluded today at the Cachar Club Conference Hall, bringing together young leaders from across the region to collaborate on river governance, water rights and community resilience. Organized by the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) with support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the event was held from March 24 to 26 under the Youth Basin Ambassadors (YBA) initiative. It aimed to connect youth working across the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Basin and deepen their understanding of river systems, governance challenges and community-driven solutions. Participants included...

ULFA(I) Attack on Police Camp in Assam’s Tinsukia Injures Four, Sparks Security Concerns

Tinsukia, March 22:  Suspected militants of the banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) (ULFA-I) launched a pre-dawn attack on an Assam Police commando camp in the Jagun area of Tinsukia district, leaving at least four security personnel injured. According to reports, the militants attacked the camp around 2 a.m., allegedly lobbing several grenades and opening fire with automatic weapons. Security forces retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire that lasted for several minutes before the attackers fled the scene. The injured personnel were later shifted to a hospital in Dibrugarh for treatment. Following the attack, Army and police units launched a joint...

WWF-India Honours Top ‘Mission Prakriti’ Schools in Assam

WWF-India, in collaboration with Samagra Shiksha Assam, felicitated five top-performing schools under the ‘Mission Prakriti’ programme for 2025–26 at a ceremony in Guwahati. The initiative promotes environmental awareness among students through themes like biodiversity, water, waste, food, and energy. In Assam, the programme covers over 4,700 schools across all districts. The award-winning schools include Natun Fatasil Town HS (Kamrup Metro), Sakai Khangia High School (Jorhat), Bishnu Jyoti MES (Sonitpur), PM Shri Jamira HS School (Hailakandi), and PM Shri Gossaigaon Girls HS School (Kokrajhar). Tinsukia district was also recognised as the best-performing district. Officials...

Assam’s Tirtha Prasad Saikia Appointed APRCEM Focal Point for Conflict and Disaster-Affected Communities

Jorhat: Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), an indigenous civil society organisation based in Jorhat, Assam, has been appointed as the Constituency Focal Point for the People Affected by Conflict and Disaster Constituency of the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM). APRCEM is a regional civil society platform that brings together organisations across Asia and the Pacific to engage with intergovernmental processes on sustainable development, particularly the implementation and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this organisational role,...

GHADC Polls Postponed After Violence in West Garo Hills

SHILLONG, Mar 11: The Meghalaya government has postponed the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) that were scheduled to be held on April 10, 2026, following violent clashes in West Garo Hills that left two people dead. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced the decision on Wednesday, saying the state government reviewed the prevailing law-and-order situation in the Garo Hills region before deciding to defer the polls. The unrest erupted during the nomination process in Chibinang in West Garo Hills, where clashes broke out between groups supporting and opposing the participation of non-tribal candidates in the GHADC elections. Two persons were killed...

Meghalaya High Court Quashes ST Certificate Rule for GHADC Polls

The Meghalaya High Court has set aside a controversial notification that made possession of a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate mandatory for candidates contesting the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). Delivering the judgment on March 10, Justice H. S. Thangkhiew ruled that the February 17, 2026 notification issued by the GHADC Executive Committee lacked legal authority and did not follow the procedure required under the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951. The court observed that the notification effectively barred non-tribal voters and candidates from participating in the council elections...