Can't Run New Channels to Show Cricket World Cup Matches, Prasar Bharti Tells Supreme Court
Prasar Bharti had on Tuesday already told the Supreme Court that it would not be feasible to create a separate channel to show nine matches during the ICC Cricket World Cup.
Responding to the Supreme Court's on whether it could create a separate channel to show Cricket World Cup matches, Prasar Bharti said it would be unable to do so. The apex court has reserved the verdict on Prasar Bharti's plea against the Delhi High Cour order barring Doordarshan from sharing live feed of World Cup matches with private cable operators. (Complete World Cup 2015 coverage | Table | History | Fixtures | Pics)
Earlier, the Supreme Court had sought the response of Prasar Bharati on whether it could create a separate channel for World Cup so that it is not shown on cable network freely. This came after private broadcasters and rights holders ESPN and STAR Sports argued that they were losing revenue for sharing feed free of cost.ÂÂ
On Tuesday, Doordarshan argued that it may not be possible to create a separate channel for just nine games. The judges wanted this in the form of an affidavit.
Last Tuesday, the Supreme Court had stayed a Delhi High Court order restraining Doordarshan from sharing the World Cup feed free with cable operators. Effectively, the India versus Pakistan match in Adelaide on February 15 was shown on the national network.
"This arrangement that DD showing free feed had been there for the last seven years. Let it continue," a Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose said in an interim order.
(With inputs from A. Vaidyanathan)