Sony moves Bombay HC against TDSAT order blocking Tata Play disconnection

Sony Pictures, which owns 27 TV channels in India, has challenged the TDSAT stay order that blocked its disconnection notice against Tata Play amid a fee hike dispute

Sony Pictures Networks India has moved the Bombay High Court seeking to overturn a recent ruling by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) that blocked the company from acting on its disconnection notice against direct-to-home (DTH) operator Tata Play, The Economic Times reported. 

A division Bench consisting of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale on Tuesday issued notices to TDSAT and Tata Play, directing them to file their responses. The court has scheduled the next hearing for June 16.

 

DTH-broadcaster fude

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), which operates under the legal name Culver Max Entertainment and is owned by Sony Group Corp, runs 27 television channels in India. The dispute arose after Tata Play, the country's largest DTH operator with 18 million subscribers, decided to remove SPNI’s channels from its consumer packs. This decision followed disagreements over the renewal terms of their annual subscription agreement. 

In response, SPNI issued a disconnection notice to Tata Play. On May 27, however, TDSAT stayed the disconnection notice and ordered Tata Play to pay ₹40 crore to SPNI within two weeks as part-payment of the broadcaster’s claimed dues of ₹128 crore. TDSAT clarified that this interim payment would be adjusted once the tribunal determined the final liability at a later stage.

The report said that SPNI is pushing for a fee increase, a move Tata Play has resisted, citing reduced viewership of SPNI’s channels. 

TDSAT, in its order, observed that failing to grant a stay on the disconnection could cause “irreparable harm” to Tata Play. It also directed both parties to work towards resolving their issues, including reconciling their accounts.

 

Sony retains India’s England tour TV rights

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) will continue to hold television broadcast rights for all of India’s cricket tours of England, including Test matches, one-day internationals (ODIs), and T20 internationals. Streaming rights, meanwhile, will rest exclusively with JioStar through its platform JioHotstar. 

The agreement covers India’s tours of England scheduled for 2025 and 2026. The next Test series between the two nations is set to commence on June 20 this year.