The Hindu Business Line : Indo-Pak series to be aired on DD

CRICKET lovers will finally be able to watch India take on Pakistan in the home series commencing on March 8. The Pakistan team is due to arrive here on Monday to play three tests and five one-day internationals (ODIs) on their first full tour of India since 1999.

The Madras High Court, in an interim order passed on Thursday, directed Prasar Bharati to telecast the series and gave the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) permission to engage any producer other than Zee Telefilms and ESPN Star Sports for the purpose of live feed.

Mr K. S. Sarma, CEO, Prasar Bharati, told Business Line, "We are happy to have got the domestic rights to the Indo-Pak series. We will be airing the matches both on DD National as well as DD Sports. Getting the complete rights will enable us market the event better." However, BCCI would be free to grant the international rights to another broadcaster, he said.

Reacting to the judgment, ESPN Star Sports officials said that it would not pursue any further legal action. When contacted, Mr Ashish Kaul, Vice-President of Zee Telefilms Ltd, said, "We are extremely pleased with the judgment of the High Court. Though this is an interim judgment, we believe that the final judgment will put this entire case in the right perspective."

The Cricket Board has said that the production company for the series would be finalised by March 1. According to agency reports, the BCCI President, Mr Ranbir Singh Mahendra, has said that after getting the copy of the Madras High Court order, the issue would be placed before the Marketing Committee and then before the Working Committee of the Board.

Broadcasters have already started talking to each other to get the best commercial deal. Both Ten Sports and Sony have indicated their keenness to produce the forthcoming series and are expected to approach the BCCI for the same.

Advertisers queue up

JUST hours after the Madras High Court gave its interim verdict, advertisers started queuing up for buying advertising spots on Doordarshan for the cricket matches.

Top advertising industry officials said that some of the large media buying agencies have already sent out offer letters on behalf their clients. "There was some confusion regarding the cable and satellite rights and the rates have not yet been finalised. But we have gone ahead and made our plans. Once the rates are announced, we will take a final decision," said a Mumbai-based advertising planner.

Normally, there are about 4,200 seconds per day of airtime in a test match and about 5,000 seconds in an ODI. The industry is of the view that the advertising rates this time around may not be as high as last time. Last year, when India toured Pakistan after a gap of 14 years, 10-second spots were available for about Rs 2.75 lakh to Rs 4 lakh. Due to the telecast controversy, advertisers got a bonus, as the matches were aired both on Doordarshan and Ten Sports.

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