No DTH JV for content and carriage fees

[dipak]

MUMBAI: Is a joint venture between three DTH players – DishTV, Airtel, and Videocon2h - as erroneously and amateurishly reported recently really on the cards? The purpose behind the joint venture – it was reported – was to bring content costs down and carriage revenues up for the three DTH players.

“The fact of the matter is that several discussions and proposals are mooted by those in the ecosystem,” says an observer close to the discussions. “Indeed around six months ago the joint venture proposal was floated and some meetings were held. But it was being pushed by one player and the rest were just examining whether it was feasible and what were its merits and demerits. No concrete steps were taken to give it any shape or form.”

Says a senior executive at one of the three DTH players: “The talks simply died down and no further moves were made in that direction. To the best of my knowledge it seems to have been put on the back burner – at least for now.”

Another executive points out that if the three were in agreement on this score, then why did Dish TV break away and announce its carriage fee rate card recently? “If one goes by current indications, the other two are being cautious on the joint venture proposal,” says a media observer.

So you heard it here first: the DTH joint venture was only a proposal, which seems to have fizzled out – at least for now.

Indian Television Dot Com > Digital Edge > No DTH JV for content and carriage fees

 

[NinadG]

Is it required to form official JV for such purpose, I mean they can form unofficial cartel to pressurize channel distribution cos & to keep away foreign DTH like TS.

 

[Sarkar]

Re: RE: No DTH JV for content and carriage fees

Is it required to form official JV for such purpose, I mean they can form unofficial cartel to pressurize channel distribution cos & to keep away foreign DTH like TS.

Yeah no need to form official JV. But how can TS be a foreign DTH? I thought its a subsidiary of Tata group.

 

[NinadG]

On paper its Tata Sky but its actually run by Sky.
If govt is not allowing 100% subsidiary then sometimes foreign cos engage local cos to show that their stake is low. So its just like CNN IBN (TV18) in which Rajdeep Sardesai holds a stake or recent Jet-Itihad deal.
Other DTH players know this & accordingly they deal with TS.

 

[Sarkar]

Re: RE: No DTH JV for content and carriage fees

On paper its Tata Sky but its actually run by Sky.
If govt is not allowing 100% subsidiary then sometimes foreign cos engage local cos to show that their stake is low. So its just like CNN IBN (TV18) in which Rajdeep Sardesai holds a stake or recent Jet-Itihad deal.
Other DTH players know this & accordingly they deal with TS.

Any supporting proof or just a guess.

 

[NinadG]

You know that there is no proof available in public for such dealings becuse its so open(& you dont require it)....:lol
In many cases, things come out thru' media, as far as TS is concerned, I used to work there & deal with Sky officials.

 

[Sarkar]

I think that is why they have shifted someone(I forget name) from Italy to TS few months earlier.

 

[NinadG]

May be some another wretched Italian being forced upon India....But this is usual in MNCs, they throw away people...