Arnab Goswami changes channel name to Republic TV, gives in to Subramanian Swamy

A week after Rajya Sabha MP and senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint against former Times Now editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, the latter is changing the name of his newly announced venture from ‘Republic’ to ‘Republic TV’. Swamy had earlier told _Firstpost_ that he had repeatedly called up Bengaluru-based media baron and BJP MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar — who is among Goswami’s investors — not to name the media venture ‘Republic’ but his advice was ignored. In a jib targetted at Arnab, Swamy on Monday tweeted:

Swamy had written to the Union ministry of information and broadcast taking exception to the usage of the word ‘Republic’ for a commercial venture. Arnab Goswami has now said that his new venture will forthwith be called ‘Republic TV’. “There is an express prohibition from using the phrase ‘Republic’…Your office may look into the use of ‘Republic’ and determine if it is prohibited to issue a licence under such name,” Swamy said in the letter to the ministry. In a telephonic conversation with Firstpost, Swamy had then said, “Goswami, who lectures everyone on every issue on the earth must realise he has committed a mistake and the company cannot be named Republic, it violates Indian laws. I told Rajeev a number of time to drop the name and call it something else, but it seems he has not taken me seriously. How can he (Goswami) violate the law, he is going everyone lecturing people to ‘Join Republic, Join the Revolution’. What revolution is he talking about? Doesn’t he know the name he has chosen cannot be used because the Indian law prohibits such usage. It is restricted under the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.” Arnab, managing director and editor-in-chief of newly launched ARG Outlier Media, had named his new venture Republic and in a letter dated 28 January, Goswami sought permission for television broadcasting rights for his upcoming “news and current affairs TV channel” from the Information and Broacasting ministry.

In the letter, Arnab said, “We would like to bring to your kind attention that the name of our news channel is being changed from ‘Republic’ to Republic TV’. In a letter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Swamy had said the licence granted to Goswami should be revoked as it is a “direct breach” of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950. Certain names and emblems cannot be used for commercial and professional purposes as per the law, Swamy had said in the letter dated January 13.

For info of PTs pic.twitter.com/L2YxhPOeRg

— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) January 25, 2017

Goswami had announced his resignation from news channel Times Now on 1 November, after which there were reports that he would launch Republic as his new venture. He formally introduced the channel earlier in January.