Kolkata, June 16, 2006: TDSAT on June 14 rejected a stay application filed by Cable Com Services Pvt. Ltd. (Cable Com) for restoration of Zee Turner bouquet channels on its network in Kolkata.
Cable Com, one of the leading cable operators that reaches out to over in Kolkata and suburbs, had an agreement with Zee Turner Ltd. for distribution of the company’s bouquets of 23 channels in Kolkata only. The agreement for distribution if Zee Turner channels including Zee TV, Zee Bangla, Cartoon Network, CNN, CNBC amongst others expired on February 3, 2006 and was due for renewal.
However, despite repeated requests from Zee Turner, Cable Com failed to sign the requisite agreement and also indulged into unauthorized distribution of Zee Turner signals to other regions besides Kolkata. The operator also failed to entertain the outstanding payments to the company thereby forcing Zee Turner to deactivate its signals on Cable Comm’s network on June 3, 2006.
Following the deactivation of Zee Turner signals, Cable Com filed a petition before TDSAT denying any act of unauthorized distribution/piracy and challenged the de-activation. However, on hearing the arguments of both the sides on June 14, TDSAT rejected the interim application filed by Cable Com and refused to grant injunction to Cable com for restoration of the signals at its network by Zee Turner. As a result of such order the signals of all the channels of Zee Turner Bouquets will not be available on the network of Cable com. The matter is now listed before Honorable TDSAT on July 13, 2006.
With TDSAT rejecting operator’s stay application, Cable Com has started misleading its customers by propagating a fallacious price hike by Zee Turner. The operator since June 13 has been running a scroll on his network stating that Zee Turner has increased the price of its channels by Rs. 43.60, hence the deactivation. On the contrary, there has been no increase in price of channels and the deactivation had been solely due to unauthorized distribution/activities on part of the operator. In fact, the regulatory body TRAI has freezed prices of all the channels/bouquets by various broadcasters and abstains any broadcaster from any sort of price hike.
Mr. Arun Poddar, CEO Zee Turner Ltd., speaking on the issue said,” It is extremely sad that our viewers are being deprived of our channels despite them being paying for these channels. It is also very unfortunate that Cable Com, is misleading our viewers by propagating a false increase in price of our channels. I would like to take this opportunity to inform our viewers that there has been no increase in price of our channels and the deactivation has been purely on account of unauthorized activities being undertaken by the operator. The court’s judgment against Cable Comm is a testimony to this fact.”
About Zee-Turner
With 14 regional offices a countrywide network of over 400 dealers, Zee-Turner has the maximum depth and width of distribution in the country. Headquartered in New Delhi, Zee-Turner was incorporated in February 2002, when the two media giants – Zee Telefilms & Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. - joined hands to form a distribution joint venture. Zee- urner manages distribution and trade marketing for Zee, Turner as well as third party channels such as CNBC and Reality TV, in India and Nepal.
Zee-Turner's comprehensive bouquet already comprises of 26 channels catering to every genre and age, and offering quality national and international content at a very competitive pricing. Some of these include the flagship channels Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee News, Zee Café, Zee Trendz, HBO,CNBC, CNN International, POGO, Cartoon Network, and the regional Zee channels, among others.
For further information, please contact:
Pawandeep Kaur
Corporate Communication
Zee-Turner Ltd.; Ph: 011-55563213; 9899796960
Fax: 011-26779350
Email: <mailto:kaurp@zeeturner.com> kaurp@zeeturner.com
