Nimbus Communications, the telecast rights holder for cricket matches in India for five years, has proposed a one-third reduction in the fee by $180 million.

As per the current arrangement, Nimbus Communications has to pay the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) $612 million or about Rs 2,755 crore for the five year period (2006-2011).

A meeting between the BCCI and Nimbus Communications will take place in Mumbai tomorrow. If accepted by BCCI, Nimbus will have to pay about Rs 2,000 crore instead of Rs 2,755 crore, for the five year period, sources said. (more…)

Neo Sports has announced the details of its Pan Asian expansion as part of its mission to be a Pan Asian cricket channel by the middle of 2007. These markets include the Middle East, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Shortly, the cricket dedicated channel will also commence broadcasting in Malaysia and Singapore.

Neo Sports Broadcast Pvt Ltd CEO Shashi Kalathil said, “in barely three months of our commercial launch in india, we have succeeded in a comprehensive Pan Asian roll-out. Asia is a very important market for us as it is an amalgamation of cultures and nationalities with a huge indian ethnic community.”

The revenues from the Pan Asian operations of Neo Sports outside india, between subscription and advertising are expected to add up to approximately $ 26 million in 2007-2008 with an approximately 30 per cent EBiDTA margin, as incremental cost for international operations is relatively insignificant since the bulk of the costs are already absorbed in the indian operations, informs an official release. (more…)

After the blackout has been lifted by cable networks following an agreement between the broadcaster and distributors, Star One is back in Mumbai. According to the Cable Operators and Distributors’ Association (CODA), Star has agreed not to press for a 10 per cent upward reconsideration in the level of subscriber affirmation for this year.

“Those who have paid the revised levels, will not be billed auxiliary and will be unrestricted to an regulation in fresh bills, There will be no anti-cable operator campaigns by Star,” said Ravi Singh, Vice-president, CODA.

Star one was answerable by the connection of distributors and last mile operators in Mumbai for forcing the second bouquet comprising channels like Star One and Walt Disney on cable operators.

Unfriendliness was also against Tata Sky, in which Star is a 20 per cent joint venture partner, for forthcoming housing societies with the proposal of offering residents a central dish transmitter through which it could connect personage installations and offer direct-to-home (DTH) service.