Nimbus, AIR at loggerheads over India-Eng series commentary

Sports broadcaster Nimbus Communications and Prasar Bharti are again at loggerheads over sharing of radio rights of the ongoing India-England cricket series, following which All India Radio has been unable to air live commentary.

Sports broadcaster Nimbus Communications and Prasar Bharti are again at loggerheads over sharing of radio rights of the ongoing India-England cricket series, following which All India Radio has been unable to air live commentary.

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The two have earlier sparred over uplinking rights on the first match of the series on October 14 that resulted in the first few minutes of the One-Day match not being telecast live.

Doordarshan and AIR come under Prasar Bharti Broadcasting Corporation of India.

According to Nimbus Communications, All India Radio (AIR) had refused to follow the 50:50 sharing of advertising revenues, which has been mandated by the Sports Broadcasting (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act.

"AIR has steadfastly refused to share revenues and instead offered meagre amounts as licence fee many times, amounting to less than 10% of total revenues generated," Nimbus Communications said.

Citing past examples, the broadcaster said: "In the England Tour of India in 2008, it is understood that AIR made revenues of Rs 2.13 crore. Despite this revenue potential, AIR has only offered Nimbus a licence fee of about Rs 17 lakh for the England tour of 2011."

This was, however, refuted by Prasar Bharati, which says the provision of revenue sharing from radio broadcast under the Act is applicable only when a private broadcaster is airing the signals but Nimbus is not airing any live commentary of the series.

"AIR has offered to pay $6,250 as fee to buy radio broadcast rights for the India-England Series from Nimbus but we have not heard from them yet," Prasar Bharati Officiating CEO Rajiv Takru said.