NEW DELHI: Sports broadcaster ESPN Software India has written to the Telecom Regulatory of India, agreeing to comply with the sector regulator's pricing direction of making its channels available at 50 per cent of the non-Cas (conditional access system) cable
TV rates.
ESPN said it would comply with Trai’s directions until the time Telecom Disputes Settlements and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) gives its order in the pending case where the sports broadcaster had filed an appeal challenging the pricing direction of Trai.
Earlier on 25 November, the Delhi High Court had stayed criminal proceedings against ESPN for not complying with the Trai’s direction related to channel pricing for the DTH service. ESPN then had to assure the court that it would comply with the Trai directive on pricing within three days. The sports broadcaster further assured that it would submit a fresh reference-interconnect-offer (RIO) to Trai.
When contacted, Trai chairman Nripendra Misra said: “Trai has written a letter to ESPN asking for its fresh RIO and as per the Delhi High Court order ESPN is supposed to submit the RIO immediately. We are still waiting for the fresh RIO. The High Court order had earlier clearly stated that ESPN needs to comply with Trai’s pricing regulation.”
Trai had filed the criminal complaint against ESPN after the sports broadcaster refused to comply with the tariff directive. According to this, broadcasters had to supply their channels to DTH operators at 50 per cent below analogue cable TV rates.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, ESPN Software India managing director RC Venkateish said: “We have complied with the court’s order.”
ESPN had approached the court after Tdsat had refused to stay the proceedings in a [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]district [COLOR=blue! important]court[/color][/color][/color]. It had, however, restrained Trai from taking any coercive measures for cancellation of its downlinking policy.
The case has been listed in Tdsat for final hearing on 13 January.
Indiantelevision.com's > Digital Edge > ESPN to comply with Trai's pricing norms..
Will this mean that TS, Dish TV and Big TV cutting down the ala carte pricing of ESS channels from Rs. 65 .........
This had to happen ESPN had been on it for long.
We should rather ask TS to reduce the rate if you are a subscriber of TS.