Mumbai: The Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has asked the Sony Pictures Networks India and Tata Sky to settle their dispute amicably. The TDSAT has granted four weeks’ time to the broadcaster and direct-to-home (DTH) company to sit across the table and try resolving their tiff over revenue-share and pricing of channels. The matter has been listed for November 11 for considering the outcome of the fresh round of negotiations which the parties are to carry out in the meantime. The bench led by Justice (retd.) Shiva Singh has asked both Sony and Tata Sky to try working out a fresh and mutually acceptable agreement.
The bench was seized with a petition filed by Sony seeking directions to Tata Sky not to drop off any of its 32 channels from the platform. The broadcaster had urged the bench to stay the ‘disconnection’ notice issued by Tata Sky asking subscribers/customers to select only 10 of the channels provided by Sony. In its plea, Sony cited the ‘interests’ of the subscribers or viewers, urging the bench to direct Tata Sky not to drop any of the channels. Tata Sky removed 32 channels of Sony and three of TV Today Network on pricing issues. SPN’s three-year contract with Tata Sky had expired on July 31, and the two since then have been negotiating on a new pricing deal. The contract tenure between SPN and Tata Sky came to an end on July 31. After the talks for a negotiated agreement did not yield any result, SPN served a notice to Tata Sky on September 7, followed by a public notice on September 10.
