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Sports broadcasters numbed by government bouncer
NEW DELHI: Like a lethal Shoaib Akhtar or Brett Lee delivery, private sports broadcasters are still trying to fathom what hit them and are fuming that the government did not take into consideration their concerns while framing a law relating to sports broadcast as it would effect development of sports, in general, in the country.
“It’s a retrograde step that could have been done without,” stated ESPN India managing director RC Venkateish.
Another private broadcaster said that the clauses that have been cleared by the Indian Cabinet relating to uplink and downlink policies, especially those on mandatory sharing of content with pubcaster Prasar Bharati, are “contentious” and can still “open up a can of legal worms.”
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved a host of stringent media related legislation, including mandatory sharing of sports content by private broadcasters with pubcaster Prasar Bharati.
Such shared content will be telecast by Doordarshan on its terrestrial and direct-to-home (DTH) service and the regulation applies on all future events, including those covered by existing contracts.
Pointing out that the private broadcasters had held talks with government officials on finding a solution to make available popular sports on free TV — Doordarshan — Venkateish lamented that the final outcome has totally failed to take into account the “legitimate concerns” of private channels.
He conceded that cost of sports rights for India would crash drastically and, in general, private funding of sports development might also get affected.
Another sports broadcaster said that the mandatory sharing of feed with DD will affect cost of cricket rights largely and that the government step is almost akin to “harking back to days of nationalisation in the 1970s, much before the era of liberalisation had been set in motion.”
Indiantelevision.com learns that some of the private broadcasters and agencies involved in buying and selling of sports content are mulling moving courts over the mandatory sharing of sports content with DD for events played within and outside the country.
“Other options like seeking legal redressal will be considered and moving the courts cannot be ruled out,” a private broadcaster admitted, fuming at the fact the government is angling to take away a large slice of revenue pie.
While Ten Sports, which has got embroiled in legal spat with Prasar Bharati over the telecast rights issue twice in the past, was not available for any comments, the newly-launched Zee Sports welcomed the government move.
“We have been always open to sharing feed with DD and welcome this step taken by the government,” Zee Telefilms senior vice-president Ashish Kaul said.
Officials of Prasar Bharati, which manages DD and All India Radio, of course, cannot hide their smiles.
Quoting a saying in Hindustani — that the camel (read private broadcasters) has finally come under a mountain and found a match — an official of DD admitted that had the private broadcasting industry not tried to take the terrestrial network for granted on popular events, the government might not have thought of mandating such content sharing.
The piece of legislation okayed by the government yesterday had raised the heckles of agencies worldwide. Even the International Cricket Council (ICC) had written to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, exhorting him to take a more liberal approach on the rights issue.
Questioned on ICC’s letter to Singh, information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy mocked the Council’s concerns saying, “People should know which side of the bread is buttered. After all, a majority of cricket-related monies come from India and the country has the right to frame a law to suit its needs.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
