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Cable operators determined to collect hiked fee from viewers
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Though no clear agreement emerged, the television cable operators seemed
set to collect the hiked monthly cable television charges of Rs 300 from
viewers promising that the Controlled Access System (CAS), proposed to be
implemented within six months, would level off monthly charges to around
Rs 200. The CAS ensures that the viewer pays only for what he sees.
"This is not in our hands. The hike is across India and standard rates apply
from Kashmir to Kanyakumari," said Mr Rudresh Chodankar, president
of the Goa Cable Headend Owners Association at a joint meeting between
the operators, broadcasters and viewers at Porvorim today evening. He refuted
the claim made by viewers that 80 per cent channels were free, claiming 80 per
cent channels were pay-channels.
Mr Tejinder Singh, the head of distribution for Star TV in Goa and also a
cable
operator himself, claimed that "The landed cost for all the channels is Rs
250.
Besides, there are salaries and other overheads to be borne by us. It is
not feasible
for us to collect anything less than Rs 300."
Referring to the plaint of poor picture quality, Mr Singh said that the
quality of the
downlinking by the broadcasters is clear and that individual cable operators
may be taken to task for this and other service problems.
Otherwise, the operators and broadcasters put up a united front and by virtue
of being businessmen, rattled off figures even giving the break-up, claiming
those were the charges levied on them by individual channels like Star,
Sony Zee TV etc. Some of the rates claimed were; Sony Rs 55,
Zee TV Rs 50, Star Sports and ESPN Rs 32 etc.
Highlighting the increasing dependence of the intelligent man on the idiot
box,
a number of viewers spoke with passion. They opposed the price hike,
the quality of service and the arrogant attitude of some cable operators,
but they spoke largely for their own respective areas. There was no united
stand
for viewers from the state.
Some solutions cited by some viewers deserve mention. The setting up
of a Co-ordination Committee consisting of viewers, operators and broadcasters
to draw up a framework and to monitor the cable television service was mooted.
Drawing up of proper agreements between viewers and operators detailing the
give-and-take and taking recourse to the Consumer Redressal Forum in case
of breach of the contract were also proposed.
But due to the lack of an organised all-Goa viewers' body, it is difficult
to see
how these worthy proposals will be implemented. Mr Rudresh Chodankar
however assured that his association had requested the Chief Minister,
Mr Parrikar to intercede with the central government on Goa's behalf and
get the state included in the list of four metros, which will shortly have the
CAS system.
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The Navhind Times 11/01/03
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