Date:22/01/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/22/stories/2007012208821200.htm

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Nimbus condition to give live feed

New Delhi: Board of Control for Cricket in India rights holder Nimbus on Sunday said it was ready to provide live feed of the India-West Indies cricket series to Doordarshan if Prasar Bharati agreed to encrypt its signals in the next 2-3 weeks.

"Till such time as DD puts encryption into place, about 2-3 weeks, Nimbus has offered to provide the live coverage TV signal to DD," Nimbus chief Harish Thawani told PTI from Mumbai.

Request for encryption

Mr. Thawani, who said the "ball is now in DD's court," said while all other material terms have been agreed to between the parties, DD has yet to agree to the request for encryption.

"We are highly committed and want to provide the cricket telecasts on DD also," he said.

When contacted, DD officials refused any immediate comment on the offer.

Mr. Thawani said Nimbus was insisting on encryption as the satellites used by DD have significant signal dispersion into many neighbouring countries, often as far as the Middle East and Singapore.

"Unfortunately, DD has not upgraded its own technological practices and continues to transmit its satellite signal sent to the terrestrial transmitters without encrypting the same. — PTI