The Hindu Business Line : Zee may have to share cricket footage

CRICKET live and exclusive on Subhash Chandra owned direct-to-home (DTH) platform, Dish TV, might just be interrupted. The Government is in the process of coming up with a norm on sharing of channels on a non-discriminatory basis by DTH operators.

According to sources, the Zee Group, which has the rights to cricket organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) cannot deny the Tata-Star Group or any other DTH platform the right to access the footage on a commercial basis.

Currently, the Star Group has not given any of its channels to be aired on Dish TV. The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry is planning to incorporate this clause in the DTH licensing agreement very soon. "The DTH operator cannot drive its platform by denying content to other operators. Just as in cable, the broadcaster offers its channels to various cable operators, it should be willing to share popular content with other DTH platforms as well for a financial consideration," the sources said. The broadcasters and the DTH provider would have to work out a financial agreement.

According to Mr Jawahar Goel, Head of Siticable and Dish TV, "Whenever the Government comes up with a norm, we will abide by it. We are not looking for monopoly." The Zee Group had been maintaining that it would take cricket broadcasting to another level, increasing viewer interest. The Ministry is also in the process of coming up with down-linking norms that could incorporate the clause making it mandatory to share rights to certain events with the national broadcaster, Prasar Bharati. The Government is following the Australian model wherein the events of national importance would be decided at the start of each year, depending on the year's calendar.

It's `plain 'n simple' Zee Sports

THE suspense surrounding the name of the yet-to-be launched sports channel by the Zee Group is over. It will be called Zee Sports.

Mr Ashish Kaul, Vice-President, Corporate Brand Development, Zee Telefilms, said: "We have decided to keep the name plain and simple. Research indicated that this name was best suited and had a wider audience connect." The company had asked its creative agency, FCB Ulka to come up with options. With the name finalised, the creative team would now have to work on the logo and the look of the channel.

Meanwhile, other issues relating to the whether the channel would be pay or free would have to be finalised. Besides this, the talks between the Subhash Chandra company and Ten Sports and Turner Broadcasting on possible alliance are still on. The private broadcaster has already written to the public broadcaster on sharing of terrestrial rights.