Broadcasters, DTH players can talk out add-on channels: TDSAT

The broadcast tribunal, Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), today allowed the broadcasters and direct-to-home service operators to negotiate for the channels provided on (Direct to Home (DTH) platform as add-on packages.

The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal bench headed by Justice Arun Kumar stated since Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was yet to formulate its guidelines over DTH pricing, the operators and broadcasters were free to negotiate the rates for channels provided as add-on packages.

The tribunal also held that its interim order, directing broadcasters to give their channels to DTH operators at half the prices at which cable operators were offered would apply only on base packages and not on the channels in add-on packs.

The TDSAT direction came over a petition filed by global sports broadcaster ESPN, which had challenged TRAI regulation, directing it to give its three channels — Star Sports, ESPN and Star Cricket — at 50 per of the cable rates to DTH operators.

This was opposed by ESPN and submitted before the tribunal that TRAI was wrongly enforcing the interim order passed by TDSAT in ASC (owner of Dish TV) and Tata Sky’s case.

The tribunal also granted relief to ESPN’s top officials, including its India Managing Director, who were prosecuted by TRAI by filing criminal cases for not following its directives.