Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Vexed TV subscribers won't put up with cartels

By S. Shivakumar

CHENNAI MARCH 13. The World Cup cricket season is being exploited by cable TV operators for effecting a massive hike in charges, but subscribers in many areas are fighting back resorting to collective action including a boycott of the service.

The monthly tariff has touched Rs. 300 in several areas, and despite a public outcry, the State Government is yet to step in to rein in the cartelised operators.

Several resident welfare organisations have taken the cable TV operators head-on, refusing to pay the steep fee increase. In the World Cup season, the charges were hiked to Rs.200-300.

However, the odds are against the residents, who are fighting the cable TV operators who hold monopoly and enjoy the support of local councillors, police and, in some cases, even toughs. Several families which refused to comply with the demand have had their cable TV connections cut and they are missing out on cricket.

The business has an estimated turnover of about Rs. 25 crores a month, even by conservative estimates. If there are an estimated 10 lakh connections in the city, the turnover in the ground segment of television distribution will be mind-boggling. The operators have `settled' their jurisdiction problems, but not without violence. Rivals who attempted to step into the business have been ``cajoled'' or violently pushed out of business.

However, the issue is again making a comeback with several residents encouraging competition. While tension builds and the subscribers expect a policy announcement and strict enforcement, opening up the cable distribution business to competition, the State Government remains a mute spectator.

Strangely, the police have also turned a blind eye to the issue. ``Even when we approach the police, complaining about the intimidatory tactics adopted by the operators, they just prefer to effect a compromise,'' says a resident of West Velachery, which witnessed arson against residents, who had switched to a second cable operator.

Community-based organisations met at T.Nagar and decided to hold a brainstorming session on March 18, to chalk out a strategy, in the wake of lack of regulation of cable TV. Thirtytwo representatives, who participated, pointed out that the subscription rates ranged from Rs.150 to 250 and above, in various parts of the city. There was no explanation for the variation.

Last week, several Kodambakkam residents got together to protest the hike and `monopolisation' of the cable television service by a local operator, after having been served an ultimatum — to agree to a 30 per cent hike or face disconnection. ``The subscription, which was Rs.140 till December 2001, was hiked to Rs. 200 in January 2002,'' the residents said.

In areas where resident organisations are strong, the operators hold talks and ``suspend'' the hike, but in most areas the amount has been silently paid.

One operator in South Chennai, who sympathises with his subscribers, has moved court against the `arbitrary attitude' of his multisystem operator

Residents say they expect that cable TV operations will be regulated before the Conditional Access System based on set-top boxes and `pay per channel' comes into force in June.

``The root of the problem is that cable operators underdeclare to the MSO. If a cable operator has 500 customers, he pays only for 100.

In turn, the MSO pays only 25 per cent of what is paid by the cable TV operators to the broadcaster" an operator said.

Rules requiring compulsory receipts for payments, a ceiling on the connection charges and institution of cheating cases where deposits are not refunded are being demanded.

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