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TRAI files case against sports broadcaster ESPN
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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of Indian (TRAI) is in the news again. This time, the regulator is neither giving any recommendations to DoT or releasing guidelines for MVNOs in the country. Instead, TRAI has its eyes set on one of the leading sports channel provider in the country, ESPN Software.
Apparently, the sector regulator is planning to take the channel to court and has filed a case against the channel in the CJM court for ‘non-compliance of its direction on pricing offer for Direct-to-Home (DTH) operators’. According to TRAI’s directive, DTH service providers are entitled to receive channels from broadcasters at half the price that the broadcasters charge operators of Non-CAS (Conditional Access System) cable networks.
Previously, TRAI had issued a show cause notice to the channel, threatening legal action if the channel failed to respond. Following this, TRAI wrote to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) requesting that the channel’s license be revoked at the earliest.
IndianTelevision spoke to Mr. Venkateish, who said:
We have given detailed response to TRAI, explaining our position. We have not heard back from them. Additionally, issues which are relevant in this matter are pending for consideration in the TDSat which we have explained to TRAI. We will take further recourse to appropriate remedies if and when the need arises.
Currently, ESPN Software India brings three major channels to the countries television viewers viz. ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket, the 24-hour cricket only channel. These channels have previously covered some of the major tournaments being played all over the world and bring an in-depth and analytical coverage of all kinds of sports being played in the world. The company also specialized interactive channels through the country’s DTH providers. If the I&B Ministry revokes the downlink license of the channel, atleast a small amount of the country’s population will be unhappy who are set to loose viewing of the upcoming Champion’s Trophy and telecast of the English and Spanish domestic football leagues.
However, even if the channel reduces the prices that are presently being offered to the DTH providers, I fail to see the same being passed on to the customers. The customers currently pay for an entire package of channels and not for the channels individually. Thus, there wouldn’t be any change in pricing for the end-user.
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