Date:13/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/09/13/stories/2006091304330100.htm

Cable row leaves cricket buffs in the lurch

Our Bureaus

Quarrel between cable operators, Zee TV results in blackout of telecast

Mumbai/Delhi , Sept. 12

Cricket buffs in Mumbai and Tamil Nadu went for a toss with the Malaysian Tri-Series going off TV channels. The business quarrel between cable operators and Zee TV, which holds telecast rights for the DLF Tri-Series Cup, has deprived viewers across these States a chance to see Tuesday's inaugural match between West Indies and Australia.

Zee TV on Tuesday blanked out telecast of the match in the two States, as some of the cable operators had not signed the required agreement for airing the event. Zee TV claims that some of the MSOs (Multi System Operators) in these two states failed to pay up the required subscription charges and disclose their actual subscriber base.

"These MSOs are not willing to pay us our share of subscription charges (fixed at Rs 10 per subscriber) and are mis-declaring them," Mr Gaurav Seth, Vice-President (Marketing), Zee Sports, told Business Line.

Mr Seth, however, said that the broadcaster was trying to settle the issue before the India-West Indies clash on Thursday.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), however, holds a different view. When contacted, a senior TRAI official said they could not comment on the specific case since the matter was not examined. He, however, said that as per the TRAI regulations no broadcaster or MSO system operator could disconnect the TV signals without giving three weeks' notice.

A spokesperson for Zee said: "Only Zee Sports has been given licence to show the Malaysian matches. The matches are being shown on Zee Sports and on Dish TV."

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