No Doordarshan or radio coverage of India-South Africa series

[Kartikey]

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/indvrsa/content/story/343902.html Test cricket in India, already under threat from the game's limited-overs versions, will take another knock in the India-South Africa series. The first Test, which begins in Chennai on Wednesday, will not be aired on Doordarshan (DD), nor on All India Radio (AIR), leaving several hundred million fans without access to the game. Followers of the game have been left in the lurch as the Information and Broadcasting (I& Ministry decided not to term the series a "event of a national importance", which means Nimbus, a private broadcaster and the rights holder, won't have to share its live feed with public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, which controls both DD and AIR. In the past, the I&B ministry ensured private broadcasters shared the feed. Confirming the news, Shankaran, the programme executive of AIR Chennai, said, "We won't have the live commentary of the series." Under the Sports Broadcasting Signals Act 2007, only events deemed of national importance are aired on Doordarshan and AIR. The Act, passed by the Lok Sabha on March 8 last year, was used by the I&B ministry to ensure rights holder Nimbus shared its feed of the last India-Pakistan series with Doordarshan and AIR. However, in response to the Delhi High Court direction, on a petition seeking legal intervention to air the upcoming series by Doordarshan, the I&B ministry said this series does not fall in the list of the notified games that have to be compulsory aired. According to the clause 2 (I)(S) of the Act, "sporting events of national importance means such national or international sporting events, held in India or abroad, as may be notified by the Central Government in the Official Gazette to be of national importance." Doordarshan, the terrestrial broadcaster, reaches 75% of the Indian population in the urban region and has 38% of the rural population. While the viewers will be the worst hit by the move, the decision would help the private broadcasters net the maximum revenue out of their rights. The Act had also noted that the advertisement revenue sharing between the content rights owner and the Prasar Bharati shall be in the ratio of not less than 75:25 in case of television coverage and 50:50 in case of radio coverage.

[umpire]

oh no. How will I watch? Cable operators do not air Neo Sports here.

[Vignesh]

I cant watch the match on TV either......... :sad_smile::cry_smile::bawling: My post no 200 Thanks All

[King Tendulkar]

I cant watch the match on TV either......... :sad_smile::cry_smile::bawling: My post no 200 Thanks All

Well batted sir:two_thumbs_up:

[Tapioca]

Is this for all matches or are ODIs events of national importance ?

[Tapioca]

Ooops. There are no ODIs. Sorry.

[Mr. Wicket]

Are you serious, S? No ODIs?

[veer]

Well batted sir:two_thumbs_up:

:cantstop::cantstop:

[Parth]

unlucky guys, looks like u'l have to follow cricinfo shame hehe :dance::dance: :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

[sm332]

or find it online ... plenty of sources out there

[Parth]

or find it online ... plenty of sources out there

or you can listen to it on online radio

[Holysmoke]

or you can listen to it on online radio

or you can watch it online

[graphic23]

or you can watch it online

Yeah, there are quite a few sources online that follow the match, so it should be easy to follow the match. I live in the US, and DirectTV doesn't show these matches, and I have to watch it online. I find cricinfo to be a valid option as well. They are more funny than the commentators, especially Aussie ones. Only when Gavaskar or Bumble are commentating is it worth listening.

[Desi Cartman]

I am sure Nimbus & Co must have paid good $ to the politicians for this new modified act. PS: Im in favour of free market though. If DD cant afford it then let the other channel air it ...

[Parth]

I am sure Nimbus & Co must have paid good $ to the politicians for this new modified act. PS: Im in favour of free market though. If DD cant afford it then let the other channel air it ...

But so many people in poor regions will be deprived of watching their cricket stars like Tendulkar, Dravid, Dhoni.

[Desi Cartman]

But so many people in poor regions will be deprived of watching their cricket stars like Tendulkar' date=' Dravid, Dhoni.[/quote'] i know what u mean but its business & if there were enough people who wanted to watch SRT & Co then DD should be paying for it as then they should make enough money

[WKmaster89]

wow this sux... I bet if this was ODI's, this wouldnt be happening... How can you not air cricket in India.. I mean its shame knowing that I will be watching this live in US but many people in India cant even though it is being played in India..

[Vignesh]

or you can watch it online

How do i watch it online???

[IndianRenegade]

Long live Indian politicians! :finger:

[Ram]

Didnt the Supreme court pass some judgment sometime ago that all cricket matches played by the national team in India is an ' event of national significance' and therefore, private broadcasters cant claim rights of exclusive telecast and must share their feeds with the state broadcaster ?