KOLKATA: With Sony TV channels remaining off air on 4 MSO platforms since Monday, lakhs of football-lovers throughout Kolkata missed the second semifinal of the Euro between England and the Netherlands early on Thursday morning. Followers had missed the primary semifinal on Wednesday and will even miss the ultimate between England and Spain scheduled on Sunday if the deadlock over non-payment of dues and value of channels will not be resolved inside the subsequent 24 hours, stated cable trade sources.
In an announcement on Thursday, Sony Photos Networks India (SPNI) — that has over 30 leisure and youngsters’s channels aside from 5 sports activities channels that are actually beaming the Euro matches dwell — claimed that the channels have been withdrawn from the platforms of the 4 MSOs since they haven’t paid their dues for six months.
“Sony Photos Networks India (SPNI) is dedicated to fostering long-term partnerships with MSOs and LCOs. Regardless of a pay as you go mannequin the place LCOs have collected and forwarded funds to MSOs, reminiscent of GTPL, DEN, Hathway, and Metrocast, together with for the Sony package deal, excellent dues exceeding six months have necessitated the restriction of entry to Sony channels, together with our sports activities channels, in sure areas. We’ve got notified viewers of the service disruption attributable to these unresolved funds by way of channel scrolls, consistent with TRAI laws. We’re actively working with these companions to resolve the problem and restore service swiftly,” the assertion stated.
MSOs denied the allegation of unpaid dues. “They haven’t entered into an settlement with us so the query of not paying dues doesn’t come up. Sony desires a value hike, with out which they aren’t prepared to attract up the settlement. We’ve got been arguing their demand is unreasonable however they need us to signal earlier than negotiations, which isn’t acceptable,” stated Vijay Agarwal, MD of GTPL-KCBPL.
Whereas GTPL has entry to Sony channel packages, it has taken them off in solidarity with the opposite three MSOs whose indicators had been switched off. “We are going to air the ultimate, after which they are going to be taken off,” stated Agarwal.
New City resident Souvik De stated he had been trying ahead to watching the matches on TV together with his associates. “As a substitute, we needed to accept livestreaming on telephones,” stated De.
Some native cable operators stated although Sony has been scrolling a warning that the channels may very well be taken off, they’d hoped the problem can be settled. “Because of the elections, all negotiations with the broadcaster had come to a halt. Sony has been demanding a hike in channel value at a time when subscriptions have dropped,” stated Tapash Das, convenor of the All-Bengal Cable TV & Broadband Operators’ United Discussion board.
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