NEW DELHI: A bill seeking to replace an ordinance, which makes it mandatory on private broadcasters the sharing of live telecast of sports events of national importance with Prasar Bharati, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Bill, 2007 was introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister PR Dasmunsi.
It is one of the priority bills of the Government for consideration and passing.
The ordinance was promulgated last month as a fallout of Nimbus' refusal to share the feed with Doordarshan and the court ordering Prasar Bharati to accept live feed with seven minutes' delay in the recent India-West Indies One-Day series.
In the statement of objects and reasons, the government said people could not watch the first match of the series due to BCCI's right holders refusal to provide live feed to Doordarshan, the public broadcaster having reach upto 98 per cent population and only network having terrestrial rights of broadcasting.
It said the ordinance was promulgated as the distribution of broadcasting signals of sporting events of public interest in India is characterised by a few dominant exclusive rights holders or broadcasters and distribution platforms.
"The end result is that a large number of listeners and viewers in India especially those who do not have access to satellite and cable TV and most of which are in rural areas are denied access to these events," it added.
