The Hindu Business Line : One-day matches featuring India — DD can obtain rights from sports broadcasters

IN a move that is likely to put an end to controversies and last minute negotiations between private sports broadcasters and Prasar Bharati, it has been agreed that Doordarshan will have the option to obtain the rights of all one-day international matches featuring India, highlights of test matches and semi-finals and finals of International cricket tournaments.

At a meeting held between the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry and various broadcasters including Prasar Bharati, it has been decided that the commercial interests of the private sports channels must be protected through partial exclusivity and encryption of DD's terrestrial signals so that subscription revenues of satellite channels are protected.

It has also been agreed that the sharing should be restricted to only terrestrial transmission and would not cover direct-to-home broadcast.

According to a note, it has been agreed that parameters for commercial arrangements for sharing the feed must be specified. A 75:25 revenue share in favour of private broadcasters has been tentatively agreed to.

On the issue of whether this new provision should cover only sporting events held in India or extend to those held abroad, it was felt that it must cover both the events. However, it was reiterated that the international events selected should be based on a transparent criteria.

A committee comprising officials of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Prasar Bharati, major sports channels and a few major sports rights management companies would select the list of events to be designated for content sharing. Meanwhile the Group of Ministers under the Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, looking into the uplinking and downlinking guidelines will decide the date from which this legislation will be implemented whether retrospective or prospective.

Mr R.C. Venkateish, Managing Director, ESPN Software India, told Business Line, "These are positive steps and it is good that the Ministry has recognised the need to protect the subscription revenues of private broadcasters. However certain issues related to the applicability of the new norms need to be finalised."

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