The encryption of Doordarshan channels, which was offered as a compromise formula by private broadcaster Nimbus for sharing the live feed of cricket matches, has been given a quiet burial by the government with DD stoutly opposing the proposal. The technical committee formed to study encryption of DD signal, after a showdown between the government and Nimbus over sharing the live feed of cricket matches, remained deeply divided over the issue, sources said. Unable to reach a consensus, it submitted an “inconclusive” report with the ministry, broadly outlining the difficulties of implementing the encryption on the public broadcaster, the sources added. “The issue is no longer being pursued and the DD channels will not be encrypted,” a senior official in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said. The “joint group of experts”, or the committee, had members from All India Radio (AIR), DD as well as private parties like Nimbus, Zee Sports and ESPN. Nimbus had been opposing the sharing of the live feed saying the unencrypted signal of DD Sports resulted in free telecast of India-West Indies cricket series to neighbouring countries, besides cable operators and DD’s DTH subscribers. DD signal is delivered on three main platforms — antennae TV set viewers, cable subscribers and DTH subscribers. The private broadcaster had bought the telecast rights of cricket matches for $612 million (nearly Rs2,700 crore) from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Opposing the encryption idea, the DD said it was a “very costly” exercise which would mean fitting 1,408 transmission towers across the country with devices to de-encrypt the signal before it is received by the TV sets. Nimbus and other private players had contended the unencrypted signal also upset the level playing field as other DTH players like Zee’s Dish TV and Tata Sky were paying to Nimbus for the same signal for which DD’s DTH was paying nothing. Similarly, the cable operators will also be getting and distributing the free signal for which Nimbus had paid a heavy price. Sources said DD brushed aside the private players’ contention saying stopping transmission to cable operators or DTH would be against the “must carry” clause of Doordarshan channels which had a mandate of Parliament. Disappointed by DD’s tough talk on the encryption, the other members stopped attending further meetings. The controversy had started in February when Nimbus refused to share live feed of cricket matches with DD and AIR saying it paid a heavy price for the rights. The matter reached court which ordered Nimbus to provide feed to DD but with a seven-minute delay. But the I&B ministry brought in the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Bill, 2007, in Parliament which made the sharing of live telecast of all the sporting events of national importance with DD mandatory. Ab tera kya hoga Nimbus 
