MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports (ESS), Asia?s leading sports content provider, has extended the broadcast of The Masters Tournament on multiple platforms across its footprint in Asia excluding South Korea.

As in previous years, ESS will showcase The Masters ?live? coverage with comprehensive presentation packages including half-hour daily highlights and ?live? on-ground reports in English.

ESS MD Peter Hutton said, "We?re delighted to sign again for such a unique and special event, with a remarkable character and history. We look forward to doing the event justice with our team in Augusta bringing that history to life for our viewers all the way across Asia."

The Masters tournament is just one of ESS?s stable of marquee golf properties which include Golf Majors such as The Open Championship and The US Open.

In addition, ESS has also secured multi-year rights to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, OneAsia, the Royal Trophy, PGA Euro Pro Tour, and Ladies European Tour, further cementing the network?s position as truly being the ?Home of Golf? across Asia.

NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has taken umbrage at the manner in which some private FM channels broadcast ?vulgar and objectionable content?.

The Ministry has also noted that some radio jockeys are ‘indecent and offensive‘ in their presentation of programmes. These jockeys made ‘defamatory and derogatory comments, particularly in night hours, which do not appear to be in good taste?.

Reiterating that the FM channels are duty bound under the Grant of Permission Agreement (GOPA) to follow the Programme and Advertising Codes being followed by All India Radio, the Ministry advised all channels to strictly adhere to these Codes and not air anything in violation of the Codes.

It said that violation can constitute violation of Sections 7.6 and 11.2 of GOPA, and the channels have been asked to exercise discretion and restraint, as any violation can attract penal action as laid down in the GOPA.

MUMBAI: Nimbus Sport, the promoter of World Series Hockey, has reportedly sent legal notices to national players who did not take part in the event despite signing contracts with the organisers.

Team India?s striker Shivendra Singh, who was picked to play for Bhopal Badshahs, has claimed that he has received a mail from the organising committee seeking reasons for his absence.

The players who were part of the team that qualified for the Olympics could not take part since they did not want to risk their international career by participating in the tournament which is not sanctioned by HI.

Meanwhile, the Olympics preparatory camps for the India men?s hockey team had to be postponed Monday as Hockey India, the governing body of the sport in India, did not receive necessary clearances from the Union sports ministry and Sports Authority of India.

The preparatory camps of the 48 member strong contingent was expected to take place at the SAI centre in Bangalore,. However, the venue could not be released for the camp since the government did not approve the training schedule after the qualifiers.

However, in a major relief to HI, the Madhya Pradesh government has come forward to help conduct the camp in its capital city Bhopal and is also ready to bear the entire cost of preparation for the Olympics.

"The Madhya Pradesh government said they were ready to bear the entire cost of our preparation for the Olympics, be it training or tours.We thank them for the gesture and are seriously considering shifting the camp to Bhopal if the central government is not interested in promoting the game," HI secretary Narinder Batra has been quoted as saying to TOI.

Batra said he would expect the sports ministry to finalise the schedule of the camp.

The Indian team had on 26 February qualified for the 2012 London Olympics following their emphatic win over France in the qualifiers in New Delhi.