Wednesday - Jun 11, 2008Meher Khanna - Televisionpoint.com | Chennai
Sun TV Network channels went off the air in most places in Madurai city following an instant migration of local cable operators from Maran-owned Sumangali Cable Vision (SCV) to Azhagiri-owned Royal Cable Vision (RCV) launched on June 09.
Caught in the cable tiff were housewives who passionately watch the mega serials telecast on Sun TV. They choked the phone lines and flooded the local cable operators with angry queries about the sudden blackout of the Sun Network since Tuesday morning.
Only those who had installed Sun Direct (Direct-to-Home Service) could watch the Sun channels without any interruption. A prolonged blackout could see more of cable connected homes switch over to Sun's DTH, which is yet to take off among the middle and low income groups.
A. M. Kannan, President, Madurai Cable TV Operators Association, said, "With the presence of 30 MSOs, a total of 450 cable operators function in the city. While only 100 of them are with SCV, the major chunk of operators shifted their loyalty to RCV. Moreover, the dealers of pay channels like Raj, Vijay, Jetix and Discovery have inked pact with RCV to relay their channels. We do not have any problem in telecasting Jaya TV programmes too."
Sensing stiff competition, SCV jumped the guns a week ago by giving cable operators 50 percent concession in the charges towards every cable connection. But Azhagiri had told a meeting of cable operators after the launch of RCV on Monday that he was aware of their difficulties assured them a share in the profits.
Meanwhile, a scroll announcing that Sun TV firm has been delaying its telecast service to RCV despite the latter's appeal, is on in areas where Sun channels have been blacked out.
RCV is very hopeful of getting Sun package. "This is only a business. When we have the network, they have no other alternative but to come to us in near future," Kannan said.
Sun TV Network channels went off the air in most places in Madurai city following an instant migration of local cable operators from Maran-owned Sumangali Cable Vision (SCV) to Azhagiri-owned Royal Cable Vision (RCV) launched on June 09.
Caught in the cable tiff were housewives who passionately watch the mega serials telecast on Sun TV. They choked the phone lines and flooded the local cable operators with angry queries about the sudden blackout of the Sun Network since Tuesday morning.
Only those who had installed Sun Direct (Direct-to-Home Service) could watch the Sun channels without any interruption. A prolonged blackout could see more of cable connected homes switch over to Sun's DTH, which is yet to take off among the middle and low income groups.
A. M. Kannan, President, Madurai Cable TV Operators Association, said, "With the presence of 30 MSOs, a total of 450 cable operators function in the city. While only 100 of them are with SCV, the major chunk of operators shifted their loyalty to RCV. Moreover, the dealers of pay channels like Raj, Vijay, Jetix and Discovery have inked pact with RCV to relay their channels. We do not have any problem in telecasting Jaya TV programmes too."
Sensing stiff competition, SCV jumped the guns a week ago by giving cable operators 50 percent concession in the charges towards every cable connection. But Azhagiri had told a meeting of cable operators after the launch of RCV on Monday that he was aware of their difficulties assured them a share in the profits.
Meanwhile, a scroll announcing that Sun TV firm has been delaying its telecast service to RCV despite the latter's appeal, is on in areas where Sun channels have been blacked out.
RCV is very hopeful of getting Sun package. "This is only a business. When we have the network, they have no other alternative but to come to us in near future," Kannan said.
