THE FALL OF THE MONOPOLY IN SPORTS BROADCASTING IN INDIA AND THE WAY FORWARD
Volume 2Issue I Year 2023
Adit Vikramadithya Garg
Research Associate, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi.
aditgarg1006@gmail.com
Table of Contents
Adit Vikramadithya Garg
Research Associate, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi.
aditgarg1006@gmail.com
Broadcasting- Over the top (OTT)- Monopoly- Doordarshan- Mandatory Sharing.
1. HOWARD S. SLUSHER, MEN SPORT AND EXISTENCE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS 242 (Kimpton1967).
2. MUKUL MUDGAL & VIDUSHAPAT SINGHANIA, LAW & SPORTS IN INDIA: DEVELOPMENTS, ISSUES AND CHALLENGES, (LEXIS NEXIS 2016).
3. Karthik Mehindru, Sports Broadcasting in India 2023: Everything you need to know about cricket, leagues and advertising, (30th January, 2023) India TV (last visited on 27th July,9:00 a.m.) 2023available at: https://www.indiatvnews.com/sports/cricket/sports-broadcasting-in-india-2023-everything-you-need-to-know-about-cricket-leagues-and-advertising-2023-01-30-843338
4. Id.
5. Id.
6. TV Sports Market Likely To Reach Rs 9,830 Crore By FY26: Report, (July.27, 2023.10:30 am)https://www.outlookindia.com/business/tv-sports-market-likely-to-reach-rs-9-830-crore-by-fy26-report-news-237838
7. Union of India v. Board of Control for Cricket in India, (2018) 11 SCC 700
8. Naman Khanna, Sports Broadcasting Law: Evolution and The Road Ahead, (2010) Supremo Amicus Journal 16 (July.27.2023,10:45 AM) https://supremoamicus.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/A29.v16.pdf.
9. Supra Note 2.
10. Chanda Committee Report, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt.of India, Report of the Committee on Broadcasting and Information Media Radio and Television, (1966).
11. BRILL, https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789047430803/Bej.9789004161528.i570_014.xml?language=de&print=(July.28,2023,12:00 PM)
12. Ibid
13. S. 4(1), Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, Act No. 13 of 1885
14. S. 3(1), Indian Telegraph Act,1885,Act No.13 of 1885.
15. R.S. Shekar, Nihal Zachariah, An Overview of Indian Sports broadcasting Landscape, LAW IN SPORTS(July.27,2023,1:00PM) at https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/an-overview-of-the-indian-sports-broadcasting-landscape
16. Ibid
17. Ibid.
18. Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990,No. 25 Acts of Parliament(1997).
19. Krishnadas Rajagopal, �What is the PB Act all about? (July.27,2023 2:00 PM) https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/what-is-the-prasar-bharati-act-all-about/article23034668.ece .
20. Boria Majumdar, �How a cash-strapped BCCI in the early 90s became the world�s wealthiest board�,ET,(Sept.4,2017,1:40am), https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-commentary/how-a-cash-strapped-bcci-in-the-early-90s-became-the-worlds-wealthiest-board/ .
21. Supra Note 2
22. Paul Smith, Television Sports Rights Beyond the West: The Cases of India and South Africa,12 (2016) Global Media and Communication,67(2016).
23. Id
24. Peter Murray and Ashish Shukla, Richest Cricketers in the world, THE TRIBUNE, (July,29.2023,3:00PM),at https://m.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020512/spectrum/main1.htm
25. ESPN CRICINFO, https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/icc-rights-go-to-espn-star-271994 (last visited July.29,2023.
26. BUSINESS STANDARD, (last visited July.29, 2023) https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/star-keeps-icc-broadcast-rights-pays-80-more-114101300989_1.html
27. Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting v. Cricket Association of Bengal ,1995 SCC (2) 161.
28. Union of India v. WorldTel ,1996 (36) DRJ 252.
29. Consumer and Civic Action Group v. PB, Writ Petition 5491-5492/2004, Order dated March 12, 2004, Madras HC.
30. Clause 5.2, Policy Guidelines for Downlinking of TV Channels, 2005, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
31. ESPN Star Sports v Union of India, Writ Petition 23832/2005, Delhi HC.
32. Taj TV (India) Private Limited v Union of India, Writ Petition 2975/2005 disposed vide order dated December 21, 2005 by the High Court of Judicature at Bombay.
33. Tej TV (India) Private Limited v Union of India, Special Leave to Appeal (Civil) 26849/2005 disposed vide order dated May 9, 2006 passed by the Supreme Court of India.
34. Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting v. Cricket Association of Bengal 1995 AIR SC 1236; DD served notice to several Indian private channels for broadcasting the Beijing Olympic Games since it had successfully obtained exclusive rights over the feed as in Prashant Reddy, The �Olympic� copyright dispute � DD sues news channels for broadcasting footage of the Beijing Olympic Games (August 23, 2008) SPICY IP https://spicyip.com/2008/08/olympic-copyright-dispute-dd-sues-news.html ; last visited July.27,2023).
35. Star Sports India v. Prasar Bharati, AIR 2016 SC 2586
36. Sports Broadcasting Signals Act, S.2(s), No.11, Acts of Parliament,2007(India)
37. Sports Broadcasting Signals Act, S.3(1), No.11, Acts of Parliament,2007(India).
38. Star Sports India v. Prasar Bharati, CIVIL APPEAL NO.5252 OF 2016.
39. Shreeja Sen, Star India has to share ad-free sports feed with DD: SC, (July.20,2023,3:00 PM)) https://www.livemint.com/Politics/iZS67ZS8tBlfdtxs4jEgJI/SC-dismisses-Star-Indias-plea-against-sharing-adfree-feed.html
40. Aparajita Lath, Is PB having the cake and eating it too: Star Sports v. Prasar Bharati, SPICY IP (July.29,2023,10:00PM) https://spicyip.com/2016/08/is-prasar-bharati-having-its-cake-and-eating-it-too-star-sports-v-prasar-bharati-supreme-court.html
41. Union of India v. Board of Control for Cricket in India, (2018) 11 SCC 700.
42. Para 29, Id.
43. Para 30, Id.
44. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Feedback/comments on Draft Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with PB) (Amendment)Bill,(2018)
45. Id
46. Legislation to enable DD to share sporting events with cable TVs, The Hindu, (Oct.17,2018,7:41PM)
47. IPRMENTLAW, https://iprmentlaw.com/2018/10/30/sports-act-amendment-2018-star-indias-pain-DDs-gain/ (last visited July.27, 2023).
48. INSIDE SPORT, https://www.insidesport.in/sports-broadcasting-signals-amendment-bill-put-on-back-burner/ /; (last visited July.27, 2023).
49. Shuchi Bansal, Why India�s streaming wars are moving into sports arena, The Hindustan Times,( (Dec.16,2022 01:02 AM) https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/why-india-s-streaming-wars-are-moving-into-sports-arena-101671132589460.html
50. Justice for Rights Foundation filed a PIL in 2018 asking for standards to be set with regard to such regulation and in so doing, the Delhi High Court opined that the court shall not interfere through the issuance of a writ in the presence of stringent measures that such OTTs are already subject to under the Information Technology Act, 2000. The PIL numbered WP(C) No. 11164 of 2018, which was disposed of vide order dated February 8th, 2019 passed by the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi.
51. TRAI Govt.of India ,Recommendations on Regulatory Framework for Over-The-Top (OTT) Communication Services
52. Adithya Modi v. Union of India,2020 SCC OnLine Mad 64
53. Para 21, Id.
54. Para 25, Id.
55. Para 28, Id.
56. Para 36, Id
57. Angad Makkar, Madras HC Directs Govt To Decide Upon A Possible Amendment To The Sports Act, IPRMENTLAW (Feb.8,2020
58. Divij Joshi, Madras HC: No Right to Demand Mandatory Sharing of Sports Broadcasts Over the Internet ,SPICY IP(Feb.12,2020) https://spicyip.com/2020/02/madras-hc-no-right-to-demand-mandatory-sharing-of-sports-broadcasts-over-the-internet.html
59. Ugar Sugar Works Ltd. Vs Delhi Administration & Ors, (2001) 3 SCC 635; BALCO Employees Union v. Union of India, (2002) 2 SCC 333; Vivek Narayan Sharma v. Union of India, (2023) 3 SCC 1.
60. Erik Gruenwedel, Ampere: Live Sports Streaming Spending to Top $8.5 Billion in 2023, MEDIA PLAY NEWS (Feb.20th,2023) https://www.mediaplaynews.com/ampere-live-sports-streaming-spending-2023
61. Supra note 46
62. IPL media rights sold in record-breaking $6bn deal, BBC((June.15,2022) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61793888
63. Devesh K. Pandey, Prasar Bharati mulls own OTT platform, The Hindu (July.27,2023,11:30AM) https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/prasar-bharati-evaluating-possibility-of-having-its-own-ott-platform/article66346004.ece
References
1. HOWARD S. SLUSHER, MEN SPORT AND EXISTENCE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS 242 (Kimpton1967).
2. MUKUL MUDGAL & VIDUSHAPAT SINGHANIA, LAW & SPORTS IN INDIA: DEVELOPMENTS, ISSUES AND CHALLENGES, (LEXIS NEXIS 2016).
3. Karthik Mehindru, Sports Broadcasting in India 2023: Everything you need to know about cricket, leagues and advertising, (30th January, 2023) India TV (last visited on 27th July,9:00 a.m.) 2023available at: https://www.indiatvnews.com/sports/cricket/sports-broadcasting-in-india-2023-everything-you-need-to-know-about-cricket-leagues-and-advertising-2023-01-30-843338
4. Id.
5. Id.
6. TV Sports Market Likely To Reach Rs 9,830 Crore By FY26: Report, (July.27, 2023.10:30 am)https://www.outlookindia.com/business/tv-sports-market-likely-to-reach-rs-9-830-crore-by-fy26-report-news-237838
7. Union of India v. Board of Control for Cricket in India, (2018) 11 SCC 700
8. Naman Khanna, Sports Broadcasting Law: Evolution and The Road Ahead, (2010) Supremo Amicus Journal 16 (July.27.2023,10:45 AM) https://supremoamicus.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/A29.v16.pdf.
9. Supra Note 2.
10. Chanda Committee Report, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt.of India, Report of the Committee on Broadcasting and Information Media Radio and Television, (1966).
11. BRILL, https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789047430803/Bej.9789004161528.i570_014.xml?language=de&print=(July.28,2023,12:00 PM)
12. Ibid
13. S. 4(1), Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, Act No. 13 of 1885
14. S. 3(1), Indian Telegraph Act,1885,Act No.13 of 1885.
15. R.S. Shekar, Nihal Zachariah, An Overview of Indian Sports broadcasting Landscape, LAW IN SPORTS(July.27,2023,1:00PM) at https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/an-overview-of-the-indian-sports-broadcasting-landscape
16. Ibid
17. Ibid.
18. Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990,No. 25 Acts of Parliament(1997).
19. Krishnadas Rajagopal, �What is the PB Act all about? (July.27,2023 2:00 PM) https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/what-is-the-prasar-bharati-act-all-about/article23034668.ece .
20. Boria Majumdar, �How a cash-strapped BCCI in the early 90s became the world�s wealthiest board�,ET,(Sept.4,2017,1:40am), https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/et-commentary/how-a-cash-strapped-bcci-in-the-early-90s-became-the-worlds-wealthiest-board/ .
21. Supra Note 2
22. Paul Smith, Television Sports Rights Beyond the West: The Cases of India and South Africa,12 (2016) Global Media and Communication,67(2016).
23. Id
24. Peter Murray and Ashish Shukla, Richest Cricketers in the world, THE TRIBUNE, (July,29.2023,3:00PM),at https://m.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020512/spectrum/main1.htm
25. ESPN CRICINFO, https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/icc-rights-go-to-espn-star-271994 (last visited July.29,2023.
26. BUSINESS STANDARD, (last visited July.29, 2023) https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/star-keeps-icc-broadcast-rights-pays-80-more-114101300989_1.html
27. Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting v. Cricket Association of Bengal ,1995 SCC (2) 161.
28. Union of India v. WorldTel ,1996 (36) DRJ 252.
29. Consumer and Civic Action Group v. PB, Writ Petition 5491-5492/2004, Order dated March 12, 2004, Madras HC.
30. Clause 5.2, Policy Guidelines for Downlinking of TV Channels, 2005, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
31. ESPN Star Sports v Union of India, Writ Petition 23832/2005, Delhi HC.
32. Taj TV (India) Private Limited v Union of India, Writ Petition 2975/2005 disposed vide order dated December 21, 2005 by the High Court of Judicature at Bombay.
33. Tej TV (India) Private Limited v Union of India, Special Leave to Appeal (Civil) 26849/2005 disposed vide order dated May 9, 2006 passed by the Supreme Court of India.
34. Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting v. Cricket Association of Bengal 1995 AIR SC 1236; DD served notice to several Indian private channels for broadcasting the Beijing Olympic Games since it had successfully obtained exclusive rights over the feed as in Prashant Reddy, The �Olympic� copyright dispute � DD sues news channels for broadcasting footage of the Beijing Olympic Games (August 23, 2008) SPICY IP https://spicyip.com/2008/08/olympic-copyright-dispute-dd-sues-news.html ; last visited July.27,2023).
35. Star Sports India v. Prasar Bharati, AIR 2016 SC 2586
36. Sports Broadcasting Signals Act, S.2(s), No.11, Acts of Parliament,2007(India)
37. Sports Broadcasting Signals Act, S.3(1), No.11, Acts of Parliament,2007(India).
38. Star Sports India v. Prasar Bharati, CIVIL APPEAL NO.5252 OF 2016.
39. Shreeja Sen, Star India has to share ad-free sports feed with DD: SC, (July.20,2023,3:00 PM)) https://www.livemint.com/Politics/iZS67ZS8tBlfdtxs4jEgJI/SC-dismisses-Star-Indias-plea-against-sharing-adfree-feed.html
40. Aparajita Lath, Is PB having the cake and eating it too: Star Sports v. Prasar Bharati, SPICY IP (July.29,2023,10:00PM) https://spicyip.com/2016/08/is-prasar-bharati-having-its-cake-and-eating-it-too-star-sports-v-prasar-bharati-supreme-court.html
41. Union of India v. Board of Control for Cricket in India, (2018) 11 SCC 700.
42. Para 29, Id.
43. Para 30, Id.
44. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Feedback/comments on Draft Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with PB) (Amendment)Bill,(2018)
45. Id
46. Legislation to enable DD to share sporting events with cable TVs, The Hindu, (Oct.17,2018,7:41PM)
47. IPRMENTLAW, https://iprmentlaw.com/2018/10/30/sports-act-amendment-2018-star-indias-pain-DDs-gain/ (last visited July.27, 2023).
48. INSIDE SPORT, https://www.insidesport.in/sports-broadcasting-signals-amendment-bill-put-on-back-burner/ /; (last visited July.27, 2023).
49. Shuchi Bansal, Why India�s streaming wars are moving into sports arena, The Hindustan Times,( (Dec.16,2022 01:02 AM) https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/why-india-s-streaming-wars-are-moving-into-sports-arena-101671132589460.html
50. Justice for Rights Foundation filed a PIL in 2018 asking for standards to be set with regard to such regulation and in so doing, the Delhi High Court opined that the court shall not interfere through the issuance of a writ in the presence of stringent measures that such OTTs are already subject to under the Information Technology Act, 2000. The PIL numbered WP(C) No. 11164 of 2018, which was disposed of vide order dated February 8th, 2019 passed by the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi.
51. TRAI Govt.of India ,Recommendations on Regulatory Framework for Over-The-Top (OTT) Communication Services
52. Adithya Modi v. Union of India,2020 SCC OnLine Mad 64
53. Para 21, Id.
54. Para 25, Id.
55. Para 28, Id.
56. Para 36, Id
57. Angad Makkar, Madras HC Directs Govt To Decide Upon A Possible Amendment To The Sports Act, IPRMENTLAW (Feb.8,2020
58. Divij Joshi, Madras HC: No Right to Demand Mandatory Sharing of Sports Broadcasts Over the Internet ,SPICY IP(Feb.12,2020) https://spicyip.com/2020/02/madras-hc-no-right-to-demand-mandatory-sharing-of-sports-broadcasts-over-the-internet.html
59. Ugar Sugar Works Ltd. Vs Delhi Administration & Ors, (2001) 3 SCC 635; BALCO Employees Union v. Union of India, (2002) 2 SCC 333; Vivek Narayan Sharma v. Union of India, (2023) 3 SCC 1.
60. Erik Gruenwedel, Ampere: Live Sports Streaming Spending to Top $8.5 Billion in 2023, MEDIA PLAY NEWS (Feb.20th,2023) https://www.mediaplaynews.com/ampere-live-sports-streaming-spending-2023
61. Supra note 46
62. IPL media rights sold in record-breaking $6bn deal, BBC((June.15,2022) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61793888
63. Devesh K. Pandey, Prasar Bharati mulls own OTT platform, The Hindu (July.27,2023,11:30AM) https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/prasar-bharati-evaluating-possibility-of-having-its-own-ott-platform/article66346004.ece