Out of Tata Sky`s basic bouquet, ESPN cries foul

[invisiblebond]

Quote:Sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports and direct-to-home (DTH) operator Tata Sky may soon get entangled in a legal battle as Tata Sky has dropped ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket from its basic package offerings. The move, according to ESPN's lawyers, may go against a recent Delhi High Court order that restrains Tata Sky to do so, but the second largest DTH operator maintains that it is operating within the permissible rules..

The basic package offered by the DTH service provider comprises channels that are demanded by the subscribers. It normally includes genre of channels like news, entertainment, movies, kids and sports. However, as a result of shifting out the three ESPN channels from its basic package, Tata Sky has managed to cut its package price by 20 per cent (from Rs 250 to Rs 200). Using this pricing strategy, Tata Sky plans to enter the smaller towns. The three sports channels from ESPN have now been separately packaged at a monthly subscription of Rs 40. This means a Tata Sky consumer has to subscribe and pay additional money for sports channels in addition to their monthly subscription fees.

For ESPN, moving out of Tata Sky's basic offering means a significant drop in both reach and subscription revenue as its subscription revenue is directly linked with the number of subscribers it reaches. Tata Sky currently has over two million subscribers and is directly competing with Dish TV, the largest DTH operator with over 3.2 million subscribers.

At least two more new DTH players (Big TV, Bharti Telemedia) are expected to launch their services soon because of which the existing DTH companies are exploring new marketing avenues revolving around lower pricing strategy, industry sources said.

When contacted, Vikram Mehra, marketing head, Tata Sky, said, "We have slashed the monthly subscription fees for the five basic packages that have all genre of channels. But I can not push the special interest channels to everyone. Our sports packages, like our lifestyle packages, are available to all consumers at a monthly fees."

However, ESPN claims that by dropping its channels from the basic packaging, Tata Sky may have gone against the a recent Delhi High Court order in the matter. As the two-year contract between Tata Sky and ESPN got over two months back, the two companies are in talks for new commercial terms and other related issues. Both parties have also approached TDSAT, appallete tribunal for the broadcasters and telecom operators.

Dish TV-Tata Sky in war of words over pricing DTH service providers Dish TV and Tata Sky are locked in a war of words over the latest subscription offer by the latter. A day after Tata Sky announced cut in its subscription charges on different packages, Dish TV today said "what is being positioned seemingly as a price reduction is not at all a reduction".

"A reduction of price can happen only if the value of the product does no decrease simultaneously, which is not the case here. Whilst a new lower price has been announced, it is at the cost of reduced content (as) 12 channels have been removed from the base pack," a Dish TV statement said.

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http://www.business-standard.com/common/...4944&tab=r

[ravishankar]

tata sky helplines are busy for..iam trying from sunday till today morning .wt happen tata sky company closed ah...

[tola]

invisiblebond Wrote:

Quote:Sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports and direct-to-home (DTH) operator Tata Sky may soon get entangled in a legal battle as Tata Sky has dropped ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket from its basic package offerings. The move, according to ESPN's lawyers, may go against a recent Delhi High Court order that restrains Tata Sky to do so, but the second largest DTH operator maintains that it is operating within the permissible rules..

The basic package offered by the DTH service provider comprises channels that are demanded by the subscribers. It normally includes genre of channels like news, entertainment, movies, kids and sports. However, as a result of shifting out the three ESPN channels from its basic package, Tata Sky has managed to cut its package price by 20 per cent (from Rs 250 to Rs 200). Using this pricing strategy, Tata Sky plans to enter the smaller towns. The three sports channels from ESPN have now been separately packaged at a monthly subscription of Rs 40. This means a Tata Sky consumer has to subscribe and pay additional money for sports channels in addition to their monthly subscription fees.

For ESPN, moving out of Tata Sky's basic offering means a significant drop in both reach and subscription revenue as its subscription revenue is directly linked with the number of subscribers it reaches. Tata Sky currently has over two million subscribers and is directly competing with Dish TV, the largest DTH operator with over 3.2 million subscribers.

At least two more new DTH players (Big TV, Bharti Telemedia) are expected to launch their services soon because of which the existing DTH companies are exploring new marketing avenues revolving around lower pricing strategy, industry sources said.

When contacted, Vikram Mehra, marketing head, Tata Sky, said, "We have slashed the monthly subscription fees for the five basic packages that have all genre of channels. But I can not push the special interest channels to everyone. Our sports packages, like our lifestyle packages, are available to all consumers at a monthly fees."

However, ESPN claims that by dropping its channels from the basic packaging, Tata Sky may have gone against the a recent Delhi High Court order in the matter. As the two-year contract between Tata Sky and ESPN got over two months back, the two companies are in talks for new commercial terms and other related issues. Both parties have also approached TDSAT, appallete tribunal for the broadcasters and telecom operators.

Dish TV-Tata Sky in war of words over pricing DTH service providers Dish TV and Tata Sky are locked in a war of words over the latest subscription offer by the latter. A day after Tata Sky announced cut in its subscription charges on different packages, Dish TV today said "what is being positioned seemingly as a price reduction is not at all a reduction".

"A reduction of price can happen only if the value of the product does no decrease simultaneously, which is not the case here. Whilst a new lower price has been announced, it is at the cost of reduced content (as) 12 channels have been removed from the base pack," a Dish TV statement said.

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http://www.business-standard.com/common/...4944&tab=r

::Tata sky has not only done that but has also cut off these channels from people who have already paid the price of the base package,when the sports channels were part of the package.
I paid for the south jumbo package in Feb 08 and my subscription ends only in JULY 08.I was getting all sports channels till about 4 days ago.Now tata sky says i have to pay an additional 40Rs.per month to watch the sports channels for which i have already paid.Whom should i complain to and by doing so will any action be taken against the MIGHTY TATAS.Tolaram[/size]

[pan_1010]

yes this is not good for tatasky
reduced customer

[s_verma62]

:cry:this is very unfortunate that Tatasky had dropped certain channels,
without taking opinion of his viewers/customers. The co. should remember that the product they r offering is solely based on the interest of his customer choice n they shud respect this. Tatasky had 1stly asked their viewers before discontinuing the channels as this breaches the trust between them n customers.
I am personally hurt after knowing that Tatasky had dropped the
SHRADDHA CHANNEL as it was viewed on regular basis in my home, we were thinking that Tatasky wu'd increase the existing no. of SPIRITUAL CHANNELS from 3 to atleast 4 or 5, but instead co has reduced the no.  I had 3 STPs at my place installed & i am seriously thinking to move again to my local cablewala & disconnect the Tatasky, because atleast he listens to me n acts accordingly, but Tatasky c/care responded my complaint in a very irresponsible manner, n they were not able to tell me the reinstatement of the unplugged channels when requested to them.
Again it is very unacceptable to take this act of Tatasky, we wud request them to clear the air on this immediately.
Thanks
s.verma
new delhi

[pan_1010]

tata sky rate will reduced its good for customer but some channel are is remove to the list that is not good for consumer even future more rate is reduced and more channel are remove in the list
i have taken a family pack purchese to 250 rs per month include sport section .
but reduced the rate rs 200 per month but channel is reduced for sport section is totaly off in family pack
so its was not good for every viewer taking for family pack sport are main thing of every viewer .you totaly remove sport section. it is not good for every customer in tatasky

[invisiblebond]

ESPN-Star Sports to move HC against Tata Sky over exclusion from basic package

Quote:He further said, “We will be moving the Delhi High Court against Tata Sky on two-three specific aspects.” He, however, refrained from sharing further details.
Venkateish also said that ESPN was also contemplating moving the MRTPC against Tata Sky in the case.
It may be recalled that recently, Tata Sky had announced new rates by reducing monthly subscription charges by up to Rs 50 across all packages.
But according to Venkateish, “What they (Tata Sky) have done is that by taking away 12 channels from the base channels, they are claiming to subscribers that it is coming at a cheaper rate. But they are selling the 12 channels at a separate rate.” The removed channels had been separately priced at Rs 40, Rs 30 and Rs 15, respectively, for ESPN Star channels, Ten Sports and BBC channels, he said, adding, “In totality, subscribers have to pay Rs 45 more and this is unfair trade practice”.

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