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Pak cable operators shut down Indian channels

LAHORE, Dec 24 : Pakistani cable operators throughout the country shut down 35 channels, including most Indian channels and certain South African channels on PEMRA's orders, but have threatened to go on complete strike from Monday.

The shutdown orders came in the wake of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)'s urgent complaint to the federal government that Ten Sports, which has exclusive broadcast rights to Pakistan cricket matches in Pakistan, was pulling out of its five-year agreement with effect from the upcoming Indian tour of Pakistan.

Ten Sports was pulling out because local cable operators were running the South African channels, which were broadcasting the Pakistan-England series only within their own territories.

Sources disclosed that local cable operators obtained 'splicers' from Dubai cheaply. The operators ran their own advertising on the South African channels, charging extremely cheap rates, thereby undercutting Ten Sports so severely that it had decided to pull out of its agreement with the PCB.

In response to the PCB complaint through the Federal government, PEMRA ordered the cable operators to strictly implement its standing instructions, which were being ignored with PEMRA connivance, to stop broadcasting 35 Indian channels.

While cable operators have obeyed the instructions, they have threatened to go on complete strike on Monday.

Meanwhile, local satellite channels, including the Geo, ARY and Indus networks, and Aaj were shocked by this threat, which would take them off the air almost entirely. They have approached the cable operators, and hope to find a via media which would allow the cable operators to stay on air, while meeting Ten Sports' demand.

Cable operators have given a Monday deadline, because until then the Indian soaps which provide the bulk of their audience are on a weekend break.

The last time PEMRA tried to enforce this ban, operators faced subscription cancellations en masse, and only after they threatened to shut down operations did they receive a tacit relaxation allowing them to broadcast Indian entertainment channels. However, they were not allowed to resume broadcasting Indian news channels.

Meanwhile, ironically, a small number of Indian channels remained on air on Saturday, because they started broadcasting only in recent months, and thus are not on the PEMRA list. It was also ironical that the channels which the operators illegally reserve for their own programming continued to broadcast Indian movies without any check.