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MUMBAI: The Delhi High Court has ruled in favour of ESPN
Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the India-South Africa
Series, in its suit for permanent injunction filed against
66 cable operators across the country against unauthorised
broadcast of the India-South Africa Series, restraining all
the cable operators from unauthorisedly showing India-South
Africa Series through their cable networks.
The channel has the exclusive right to broadcast the feeds
of the international cricket matches being played by India
against South Africa in South Africa by terrestrial television,
cable television and / or satellite television in the countries
of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and
Sri Lanka, asserts an official release.
After this order anyone still showing India-South Africa
series through any unauthorised means or any other channel
will be held in contempt of court and liable for prosecution.
The Delhi High Court has also permitted ESPN to take action
against all other cable operators not parties to the suit
who are found to be unauthorisedly utilising the feed of ESPN
and Star Sport without license.
Elaborating on this, ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd chief operating
officer Vijay Rajput said, “Carriage, reception or distribution
of the India-South Africa series by any MSO, cable operator,
sub-operator without written authorisation from ESPN Star
Sports is a violation of Copyright Act, 1957 and hence an
illegal activity."
"Also, no other channel, whether pay, free to air or
terrestrial is authorised to provide, show or distribute the
India-South Africa series in the territory of India. Also
strict and legal action will be taken against the operators
who violate the court orders. Post the order; police raids
have already been started," he added.
The 66 cable operators restrained from the unauthorised telecast
are from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkand, Bihar, Maharashtra,
Gujarat, Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Chattisgarh, West Bengal,
Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
ESPN Star Sports will be broadcasting the ODI series in both
English as well as Hindi feed. ESPN will telecast the series
in English with ESPN’s a Few Good Men, Sunil Gavaskar,
Harsha Bhogle, Allan Wilkins, Ravi Shastri and Wasim Akram
joined in by South African Pat Symcox.
The Hindi programming for the series on Star Sports will
be spearheaded by Indian TV artist, Shekhar Suman and supported
by Syed Kirmani, Wasim Akram, Arun Lal, Maninder Singh and
Zaheer Abbas. The sports broadcaster has introduced special
production and programming initiatives Planet Cricket,
Cricket Crazy and Full Toss for the Indian audiences
for the telecast of the series, adds the release.
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