DishTV approaches TDSAT against ESPN

The DTH Company, Dish TV has approached the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to direct ESPN to sign an agreement with the DTH operator on the basis of tariff recommended in RIO.

It is asking the broadcaster ESPN to give of its sports channels in accordance with the reference interconnect offer (RIO), which are the norms mandated by TRAI.

A TDSAT bench headed by Chairman Justice S B Sinha has issued notice to ESPN Software, the holding company of ESPN for distribution and marketing channels. The tribunal would decide on the matter on September 28, 2011.

According to Dish TV, ESPN refused to sign a new agreement to provide signals on the basis of RIO and was attempting to force it to pay on the basis of earlier MoU. The ESPN contended that the agreement signed with Dish TV was prior to the RIO regime. ESPN rejected the allegations of Dish TV and said the Supreme Court, which had on April 18, 2011, fixed the price of a channel for a DTH operators at 42 per cent of the cable rates, was not applicable on Dish TV as it has an old agreement which was signed on March 12, 2009.

Source: http://cablequest.org/news/dth-news/item/490-dishtv-approaches-tdsat-against-espn.html
Source: http://cablequest.org/news/dth-news/item/490-dishtv-approaches-tdsat-against-espn.html