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Delhi HC stays criminal proceedings; ESPN to comply with Trai pricing for DTH
Delhi HC stays criminal proceedings; ESPN to comply with Trai pricing for DTH
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court stayed criminal proceedings against ESPN for not complying with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India direction related to channel pricing for the direct to home (DTH) service.
ESPN, however, had to assure the court that it would comply with the Trai directive on pricing within three days. The sports broadcaster further assured that it would submit a fresh reference-interconnect-offer (RIO) to Trai.
When contacted, Trai chairman Nripendra Misra said: “The High Court order has clearly stated that ESPN needs to comply with Trai’s pricing regulation. The court has also recorded ESPN’s assurance that it would provide a fresh RIO which would be based on the pricing norm.”
Trai had filed the criminal complaint against ESPN after the sports broadcaster refused to comply with the tariff directive. According to this, broadcasters had to supply their channels to DTH operators at 50 per cent below analogue cable TV rates.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, ESPN Software India managing director RC Venkateish said: “Our position has always been that ESPN has always been in compliance with Trai. We will now be further communicating with the regulator. Additionally, the matter is listed for final hearing in Tdsat and a final step could only be taken after the final decision of Tdsat.”
ESPN had approached the court after Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) had earlier refused to stay the proceedings in a district court. It had, however, restrained Trai from taking any coercive measures for cancellation of its downlinking policy.
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ABDUL-AZIZ
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26-11-2008, 12:20 AM
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