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Display ticker for DD’s telecast of games of ‘national importance’: I&B to Broadcasters

Monday, April 30, 2018, 1:58
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MUMBAI: India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on April 25 issued a notice mandating all TV channels broadcasting live sports of “national importance” to display a ticker with immediate effect stating the match was also available on DD’s free-to-air platform irking sports broadcasters.The order requires channels to run the scroll — ‘This match/game can also be viewed on DD Sports channel on DD Free Dish DTH and DD’s terrestrial network on freeto-air basis’ — in appropriate colour, font and size making it prominently visible every 15 minutes.Former I&B Minister Manish Tewari called the directive “absurd”.QUESTIONING THE DIKTAT“Asking channels to run a scroll is a logic-defying move as only those who have subscribed to pay channels will be able to see the scroll. Is I&B Ministry telling those viewers to unsubscribe and move to free-to-air platforms?” Tewari told ET.The fundamental question that needs to be asked is does the public broadcaster have a unique and special place in a liberated media environment that stretched back 27 years to 1991 when satellite television entered India, Tewari said.“In an environment where we have 891 TV channels, is there a case for Prasar Bharati is a question no one is asking. And if the answer is no, the entire act needs to be revisited,” Tewari said.A questionnaire sent to the ministry seeking a reason behind the notice did not elicit any response till press time Sunday.Most TV broadcasters and media experts see this as an irritant and as a free marketing ploy for DD Sports.“This diktat lacks any statutory or policy foundation. Rather, it goes way beyond the remit of the Sport Mandatory Sharing Act as adjudicated upon by the Supreme Court in its judgement in the matter of Union of India vs BCCI dated August 22, 2017. If this notice is not challenged or allowed to be implemented, then it will undermine the investments made by private broadcasters in acquiring rights from sports federations,” said one broadcasting executive, who did not wish to be identified. Star India and Sony Pictures Networks India did not respond to ET’s request for comment on their next course of action and impact of the order. But sources said both broadcasters are looking at legal options and may move court against the order.“This is an illogical move as after the Supreme Court order, the DD channel, where the matches will be shared, will not be available on private DTH or cable. So there is no advantage to DD, apart from getting free publicity,” an industry expert said.GAMES OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCEEarlier, MIB had tried to get Indian Premier League (IPL) matches under the ambit of games of “national importance.”63966283

However, the sports ministry had rejected the proposal after which, Star India agreed to share one IPL match every week with DD with one hour delay.Games of national importance are typically those in which India is playing global sporting events and the finals of top tournaments.The Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007, made it compulsory for private broadcasters to provide access to sporting events of “national importance” to the largest number of listeners and viewers on a free-to-air basis.DD National then started getting live feed of Indian cricket matches, the Olympics and other important events and Prasar Bharati shared advertising revenues with the rights holder.The private broadcasters went to court and on August 22 last year, the Supreme Court asked Prasar Bharati to air the events only on terrestrial networks or on DD Free-Dish and not on channels like DD 1, which is notified as a must-carry channel for all pay TV (cable and DTH) operators according to the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.PRASAR BHARTI’S PORTFOLIOIn March last year, the MIB notified the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, summer and special Olympics, Paralympics and certain tennis, hockey and football events as sporting events of national importance. In October 2016, the ministry declared that all official one-day internationals, Twenty20 and Test matches played by the Indian men’s cricket team, semifinals and finals of the men’s World Cup and International Cricket Council Championship Trophy as cricketing events of national importance.

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