Channel not interested in cricket telecast as value has gone down. |
Zee Telefilms Chairman Subhash Chandra today said the broadcaster was no longer interested in winning the rights for telecasting cricket tournaments organised by the Board of Cricket Control In India (BCCI), even though it was not about to withdraw its bid. |
|
"We are not interested in cricket broadcast as the value of the events has gone down substantially. We hope Zee does not emerge as the highest bidder," Chandra said on the sidelines of a press conference to announce that Zee Sports had acquired rights to football matches organised by All India Football Federation. |
|
In the last round of bidding, Zee had emerged as the highest bidder, only to see its bid being rejected by the cricket board. Zee and the BCCI have since been locked in legal battles. Chandra's statement comes at a time when the two factions of the BCCI have locked horns over the election of next president. |
|
Chandra, who has been critical of the way the cricket governing body is being run, said the recent spat between Indian captain Sourav Ganguly and coach Greg Chappell and the recent dismal performance of the team had hurt the game's popularity. |
|
Chandra also said Zee would consider bidding for FM radio licences in the second phase of expansion. |
|
"Our board will be meeting on September 28 to consider whether we should bid for the licence," he said. |
|
On the proposed regulation making it mandatory for rights holders to share the content with Prasar Bharati for important events, Chandra said he was open to the move provided the public broadcaster got access to the content on a commercial basis. |
|
"This is a good move as it would provide sports content to a wider section of the population. But Prasar Bharati should not get access to it on an arbitrary basis. The basis of content sharing should be commercial," Chandra said, adding that Zee had submitted its views to the group of minister examining the various broadcasting polices. |
|
He also said that Zee Telefilms would like the policy to be applicable with prospective effect. "The sharing of content should be applicable only for broadcasting rights acquired after the policy comes into being," Chandra said. |
|
|
|