Ofcom revokes ARY Network Licences in the UK

According to an official communication from Ofcom, it has revoked ARY channels from Virgin Media and SKY EPG with immediate effect, after they could not provide services.

ARY DIGITAL, ARY NEWS, and ARY QTV were all reportedly removed from their slots.

The revoking of the licences has been actioned from the 1^st of February 2017, under the 238(4) of Communications Act 2003.

Their opening statement said:

“On 1 February 2017, Ofcom revoked all of the licences held by ARY Network Limited (in liquidation) (‘ARY Network’). The reason for Ofcom’s decision is that ARY Network had ceased to provide the licensed services and that Ofcom was satisfied it was appropriate to revoke the licences.”

The reason Ofcom cited as because ARY Network had failed to comply with regulations, ceasing to provide licenced services.

The ARY Network were notified by Ofcom on the 27^th of December 2016, and have been investigating the broadcaster since then.

Recently, ARY is said to have fallen into liquidation. The network ceased trading on 31^st of December 2016 and the liquidation took place on January 12^th of 2017.

Despite falling into liquidation, ARY’s channels continued to broadcast on EPG, whilst the 3 remaining channels ceased to air at all.

The liquidator to ARY said it believed the services were being provided by a third party. They intended to rename channels and broadcast new content. Then selling the EPG slots, the services were previously aired on.

Ofcom said:

“Having given careful consideration to the comments made in both the written and oral representations of the liquidator, Ofcom was satisfied that ARY Network had ceased to provide all six of its licensed services and, in particular, that it did not have general control of those services within the meaning of section 362(2) of the Communications Act 2003.”

ARY’s liquidation came after its legal battle with GEO partners – Jang group. The broadcaster lost the defamation case of £3m to Jang’s editor-in-chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

After ARY’s infamous comments on the Jang group and its owner, the case was all but lost. ARY then offered an on-air apology to Jang on the 23^rd of December 2016.

ARY then was forced to shut down their offices in London and stopped on-air commercials. It was also forced to close down the Live News Transmission.