News Broadcasting
Madras HC division bench restrains BCCI on telecast issue
NEW DELHI: In what could be considered a moral victory for Zee Telefilms; a division bench of the Madras high court today passed an interim order restraining the Indian cricket board from undertaking any re-bidding of the cricket telecast rights.
The division bench also made it clear that if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) went in for re-tendering of the Indian cricket telecast rights, as had been allowed by the Madras high court through an order last month, it would be cancelled till an appeal by Zee Telefilms is fully settled.
The division bench, which stayed an earlier Madras high court order on the telecast rights issue, made the observation today after Zee Telefilms had appealed against a 21 March court verdict arguing that if the cricket board was in the wrong, then a direction should come that Zee be handed back the rights.
The next hearing of the case is scheduled for 20 April. This would mean that the BCCI, which could have gone in for a re-tendering after the ongoing Indo-Pak cricket series came to an end, will have to wait at least till the next date of hearing.
A spokesperson for Zee Telefilms hailed the interim order and added that the company’s stand on the whole rights issue is being vindicated. BCCI was not immediately available for comments.
After a Supreme Court order earlier this year stated that the BCCI could not be sued for irregularities and breach of fundamental rights on the cricket issue under certain Articles of the Indian Constitution, Zee Telefilms approached the Madras HC seeking redressal under Article 226.
Last month, the Madras HC, while coming down heavily on the BCCI and its former chief, Jagmohan Dalmia, however did not hand out any relief to Zee Telefilms, stating that the latter could sue the cricket board, which also could again put up the Indian cricket telecast rights for sale to the highest bidder.
Zee Telefilms appeal against this order in front of a division bench of the same high court, which is allowed under the legal system, also gives another twist to the cricket saga that has got deeply embroiled in controversies with an early end to the dispute nowhere in sight.
Meanwhile, Zee Telefilms has also sent a letter to the BCCI claiming compensation to the tune of Rs 16,300 million for the cancellation of telecast rights awarded to it in September 2004.
“We have engaged a leading international accounting firm to prepare a detailed report calculating the damages caused to us. Our preliminary estimate of such damages is Rs 1,630 crore,” Zee Telefilms has stated said in a notice sent to the BCCI.
The media company has also given BCCI time till 7 April to reply to this legal notice after which it would decide on future course of legal action. Till today, BCCI has not reverted.
The Zee missive has pointed out that the decision of the cricket board to permit other broadcasters to telecast the cricket matches (primarily Doordarshan in India and some foreign broadcasters outside the country) has resulted in additional losses to the company.
“We are giving this notice to the BCCI and Dalmia so as to invite the board to form a committee that can jointly consider the matter in order to arrive at an agreed figure so that further costs and expenses are saved, failing which we shall hold BCCI and Dalmia liable for any further costs and expenses incurred by us in calculation of damages in this complex situation, a business newspaper, quoting from the letter, reported some days back.
Interestingly, even while sending such letters to the BCCI, Zee has simultaneously expressed the hope that the crisis could be resolved ‘amicably.’
In a related development, the Madras HC also stayed a March 21 order of a single judge holding that termination of a tender process by the BCCI for telecasting cricket matches in the country was “improper” and coming down heavily on former board president Jagmohan Dalmiya.The interim stay was granted by the first bench, comprising Chief Justice Markandey Katju and Justice F M Ibrahim Kalifullah, on separate appeals filed by the BCCI and Dalmiya against Justice K P Sivasubramanian’s order.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
