Prasar Bharti has declined to give Rs 140 crore to Ten Sports for live telecast of three Tests and five One-Day Internationals in the ongoing cricket series between India and Pakistan. Thus, Doordarshan will not be able to provide live telecast of the Test series, beginning January 13.
On Tuesday, Prasar Bharti agreed before the Supreme Court to sharing only the 90-minute highlights of the matches daily with Ten Sports, which has exclusive rights for telecast of the series.
Regarding the one-day internationals, a bench, comprising Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice Tarun Chatterjee, was informed by counsel of both sides that a workable solution would be discussed soon.
The bench had issued notice to the Indian government and Prasar Bharti on a petition by by Taj Television Ltd, owner of Ten Sports and exclusive telecast rights holder for the India-Pakistan series, seeking stay of the government guidelines, which makes it mandatory for private channels to share the live feed of international cricket matches featuring the Indian team with Doordarshan.
The next date for hearing has been fixed for January 30.
When the court resumed hearing on Tuesday morning, Solicitor General G E Vahanvati told the bench that the amount asked by Ten Sports is beyond the reach of Prasar Bharti and hence the two parties would abide by the arrangement they had agreed upon in the Bombay high court.
Ten Sports contended that it would incur loss of advertising revenue if it shares live feed for the Tests with Doordarshan.
"The offer made by Ten Sports to make their own feed available to Doordarshan along with advertisements arranged by the petitioners subject to the condition that the respondents [Prasar Bharti and Doordarshan] should make suitable deposit to compensate the sports channel for alleged loss is not acceptable," Vahanvati said.
Vahanvati said Ten Sports should be directed to make available the highlights of the day's play of the Test matches for 90 minutes per day as offered by the sports channel in the Bombay high court.
Ten Sports termed the guidelines arbitrary, without the authority of the law.