BroadCom repeals controversial 2022 amendment that shut down DhiraaguTV

Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom) on Tuesday repealed a controversial amendment made to broadcasting regulations in 2022 that saw Dhiraagu lose its license for cable TV service, DhiraaguTV.

Telecom company Dhiraagu had received its rebroadcasting license in 2013, and launched DhiraaguTV two years later, in 2015.

But in 2022, BroadCom made changes to the rebroadcasting regulations, restrict companies that can apply for rebroadcasting license to 100 percent Maldivian-owned companies.

This amendment meant that Dhiraagu, in which Bahrain’s Batelco owns 52 percent shares, was unable to renew its rebroadcasting license, and was forced to shut down DhiraaguTV.

BroadCom repealed this amendment on Tuesday.

A BroadCom member who spoke to Sun regarding the decision said the now-repealed amendment did not contribute to any concrete development in the industry.

The member also alleged that the amendment was made with the intention of pushing out competitors and creating a monopoly.

For Dhiraagu, which had made a huge investment in establishing and expanding DhiraaguTV, the 2022 amendment had led to a huge loss.

The company had sued BroadCom over the amendment, but later dropped the lawsuit.

It later sold DhiraaguTV to SSNET – a new cable TV service that launched in 2023.

Back when it shut down, DhiraaguTV was the first and only IPTV service provider in Maldives to extend digital IPTV service to 85 percent of national households, offering over 100 channels in its fully digitized network.