TRAI seeks cancellation of ESPN licence
22 Oct, 2008, 2113 hrs IST, PTI
NEW DELHI: Sectoral regulator TRAI has recommended to the government to consider revoking registration of sports broadcaster ESPN Software India and to issue directions to DTH operators to stop carrying its channels for violating regulations, Parliament was informed today.
In a written reply to a question, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Anand Sharma said all broadcasters except ESPN Software India were offering their channels at 50 per cent rates at which these were offered for non-Conditional Access System cable distribution.
Sharma said as the broadcaster did not comply with a direction by TRAI on June 24 to charge DTH operators at half the non-CAS cable rates as per the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) 2004, TRAI has recommended to the government action against ESPN.
The action recommended by TRAI includes invoking of registration of all the three ESPN channels - Star Sports, Star Cricket and ESPN Star.
TRAI has also recommended to issue direction to all DTH operators to stop carrying ESPN's channels.
Sharma further said, "TRAI has also filed a complaint in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi, on August 6, 2008 under section 34 of the TRAI Act 1997. The court has also taken cognizance of the complaint filed by TRAI."
TRAI had issued a direction to ESPN on June 24 this year asking it to follow the sectoral guidelines and to offer their channels to DTH operators at a rate 50 per cent lower than the cable rates, the minister informed.
TRAI seeks cancellation of ESPN licence- Media-Media / Entertainment -News By Industry-News-The Economic Times
22 Oct, 2008, 2113 hrs IST, PTI
NEW DELHI: Sectoral regulator TRAI has recommended to the government to consider revoking registration of sports broadcaster ESPN Software India and to issue directions to DTH operators to stop carrying its channels for violating regulations, Parliament was informed today.
In a written reply to a question, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Anand Sharma said all broadcasters except ESPN Software India were offering their channels at 50 per cent rates at which these were offered for non-Conditional Access System cable distribution.
Sharma said as the broadcaster did not comply with a direction by TRAI on June 24 to charge DTH operators at half the non-CAS cable rates as per the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) 2004, TRAI has recommended to the government action against ESPN.
The action recommended by TRAI includes invoking of registration of all the three ESPN channels - Star Sports, Star Cricket and ESPN Star.
TRAI has also recommended to issue direction to all DTH operators to stop carrying ESPN's channels.
Sharma further said, "TRAI has also filed a complaint in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi, on August 6, 2008 under section 34 of the TRAI Act 1997. The court has also taken cognizance of the complaint filed by TRAI."
TRAI had issued a direction to ESPN on June 24 this year asking it to follow the sectoral guidelines and to offer their channels to DTH operators at a rate 50 per cent lower than the cable rates, the minister informed.
TRAI seeks cancellation of ESPN licence- Media-Media / Entertainment -News By Industry-News-The Economic Times
