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Senior government officials also stated that talks are on with
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, including an interaction between
him and I&B minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, and it seems that the
opposition to CAS in Mumbai is "weakening."
The government may think it is weakening but that is not the message
that is coming across in Mumbai. The Sena remains stauunchly opposed
to CAS, petitions are pending in the Bombay and Chennai High Courts,
and there is confusion among ground-level cable operators. The reality
appears to be that CAS will effectively stand deferred on 1 September,
the government's claims notwithstanding.
A senior I&B ministry official however, insisted, "CAS is on in
Mumbai too, but for the first 10-15 days the government would take
a lenient view and won't crack the whip on those consumers who access
pay channels without set-top boxes or those cable ops who black
out pay channels in Delhi."
That is exactly the position being taken by Mumbai's dominant MSO,
the Hinduja Group's INCableNet, which has indicated it may resort
to blacking out of pay channels. INCableNet COO Rajiv Vyas was quite
categorical when speaking to indiantelevision.com that CAS would
go into effect from 1 September in south Mumbai (Zone 1) as per
schedule opn his cable network.
"Unless we get a notification from the Central government saying
otherwise, at the stroke of midnight on Sunday, we are compelled
by law to switch off all pay channels," said Vyas. It was to put
this point across that a big colour ad was put out in the Times
of India today, exhorting customers to buy set top boxes, Vyas added.
Vyas's comments have added significance because INCableNet controls
most of the south Mumbai area that falls in Zone 1. The other dominant
MSO in Zone 1, Hathway Cable and Datacom (in which Star India officially
has a 26 per cent stake), was much more circumspect as to how it
would go about its business post-1 September. A senior company official
would not be drawn into a comment on what it planned to do. He however,
reiterated that Hathway was ready to implement CAS but was awaiting
further clarity from the government on the issue.
SENA SAYS NO ONE WILL DARE IMPLEMENT BLACKOUT
Shiv Sena Vibhag Pramukh and spokesperson on CAS Anil Parab
paints a dim picture of the CAS rollout possibilities: "Yesterday
I addressed a gathering of nearly 200 cable operators who have operations
in south Mumbai. All of them were clueless about the implementation
of CAS from 1 September. They weren't aware of the commission structure
or the prices of the individual channels or the outright purchase
price points of the STBs. Nearly 300,000 boxes are needed for Mumbai
and the MSOs have sold less than 500 boxes - the remaining being
test boxes. I shall raise these issues at the CAS implementation
task force meeting scheduled for Monday in New Delhi."
When asked about possible 'blackouts' from Monday 1 September,
Parab says: "Blackouts on such a large scale are totally ruled out.
I don't think anyone from the industry will have to guts to do so."
Parab also denied that the fate of CAS in Mumbai would depend on
the outcome of the proposed meeting between Balasaheb Thackeray
and LK Advani. He emphatically stated that he wasn't aware of any
such meeting. He said that the issues will be sorted out during
the CAS implementation task force meeting.
GROUND-LEVEL OPERATORS PAINT GLOOMY PICTURE
Indiantelevision.com also contacted a number of ground level operators
and this is the gist of what they had to say:
* The Shiv Sena is using its political power; seeking the support
of cable ops to oppose CAS from 1 September. The MSOs are too scared
of going against the Sena - because there is a strong feeling that
the BJP-Sena will come to power in Maharashtra/Mumbai in the next
elections. Several cable ops are confused. They cannot be seen (or
not seen) either with the Sena or with the MSOs.
* Everyone is waiting for the outcome of Monday's CAS implementation
task force meeting.
* The outright prices of boxes haven't been announced by a majority
of MSOs - they have merely announced rental schemes. INCableNet
is the only one that has offered incentives for outright purchase
by consumers.
* With taxes, the prices of the plain vanilla boxes crosses the
Rs 4,000 mark - the Sena will definitely oppose this as customer
unfriendly.
* HITS hasn't been opposed by the cable operators; only the broadcasters
have opposed it.
* MSOs are on the verge of finalising agreements (commission structures)
with most of the pay TV broadcasters - some have already been signed
secretly. Only a few pay TV channels (minor ones) are left behind.
But, the MSOs won't declare these arrangements unless there is clarity
about CAS rollout.
* Mumbai cable operators are thinking about increasing monthly
cable rates (similar to threats by Delhi cable ops) but this is
being opposed by the Shiv Sena and BJP's Kirit Somaiya as not consumer
friendly.
The general feeling is that status quo will be maintained for the
present with cable subscription rates at around the Rs 250 levels.
IN KOLKATA, CHENNAI ALSO THERE IS OPPOSITION
In Kolkata, the Left Front government is opposed to CAS as they
feel the Centre has taken a decision on the matter without holding
any discussion with the concerned states.
In Kolkata, the Left Front government is opposed to CAS as they
feel the Centre has taken a decision on the matter without holding
any discussion with the concerned states.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, West Bengal chief minister said in Kolkata
yesterday: "The Centre had kept the state governments in the dark
and interacted only with the operators. There are still a lot of
complications on the ground. Not everyone can afford the instrument
(STB). Besides, I have learnt that Delhi is not introducing the
system from 1 September." West Bengal chief secretary SN Roy has
already communicated the state's view -- that CAS should be pushed
back -- to the I&B ministry.
The scenario is no different in Chennai. The president of Tamil
Nadu Cable TV Owners Association Kayal Ilavarasu has been quoted
as saying: "We are ready to implement the government's directive
on CAS but we can't do it as of now because it is yet to come out
with a concrete structure."
The Delhi cable fraternity, meanwhile, is in a militant mood. "We
would go ahead and do selective implementation of CAS even in Delhi
from 1 September by insisting on routing the less popular pay channels
through the set-top boxes (whatever little has been seeded in the
market)," National Cable & Telecom Association president Vickky
Chowdhry told indiantelevision.com.
Zee Telefilms vice-chairman and Siti Cable head Jawahar Goel too
was non-comittal on Delhi saying, "We are reviewing the situation."
It is learnt that Zee/Siti Cable may move the court next week against
CAS rollout deferment in Delhi.
Another cable body, the Cable Networks Association, has already
moved the Delhi High Court. The petition alleges, amongst other
things, that the government move on deferring CAS in Delhi would
result in financial losses to the cable ops.
As things stand a whole lot hinges on the CAS implementation panel's
meeting of 1 September that is to take stock of the CAS situation.
Whatever is left of it, that is.
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