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Prasar Bharti to discuss telecast rights with BCCI
By Onkar Singh
August 12, 2004 18:38 IST

A five-member team, headed by Prasar Bharti chief K S Sarma, will make a presentation before the Board of Control of Cricket India on Saturday in Mumbai to bid for the telecast rights of One-Day Internationals and Test matches to be played in India.

Speaking to newsmen in New Delhi on Thursday, Sarma said the public broadcaster has already made arrangements for telecast of international tournaments with Sony Television for the next four years.

"We will make our presentation before a team of BCCI officials on Saturday and hold negotiations regarding the telecasting rights of One-Day Internationals and Test matches to be played on home soil," he said.

He admitted that cricket has helped Prasar Bharti to earn money through advertisements.

"We earn Rs 600 crore through sports telecast. Our annual running cost is Rs 1900 crore and the rest of the money is pooled in by the government in grants. We have arrived at an agreement with Sony Television for the telecast of the Champions Trophy in England, to be played in September, and Champions Trophy, to be played in India in 2006, and also the World Cup, to be held in 2007 in the West Indies. Sony would pay Rs 75 lakh per One-Day International as minimum money and the rest would be shared on 80:20 basis between Sony and Prasar Bharti," he said.

He informed that Doordarshan would be spending Rs 25 crore to telecast the Olympic Games and has already booked advertisements worth Rs 6 crore.

Onkar Singh
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