TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: A major row has erupted between cable television broadcasters and hoteliers with the former threatening hoteliers with criminal prosecution for infringement of copyright by airing their channels for their guests.
Hoteliers are livid as agents of broadcasters ~ESPN, Star DEN, Novex Communication, Media Pro and others, conducted raids of hotel premises and issued notices for alleged violations during the last three months.
The broadcasters strongly reiterated that three-star and higher category hotels or those which have more than 50 rooms should pay commercial rates for airing their channels. These rates have been hiked by more than 300 per cent this year.
This works out to approximately Rs 24 lakh a year for a hotel having 100 rooms in addition to paying local cable operators for the services provided.
If hotels fail to pay these charges, the broadcasters have threatened to cut off the cable connections and initiate action against them through the police.
The hoteliers are peeved at having to pay such exorbitant fees for airing channels, as against the present arrangements and discounts for off-season, which adds up to not more than Rs 4 lakh a year.
“That we are being charged under the Copyrights Act simply makes no sense to us as we take cable connections from our local cable operators after working out the rates with them and pay just like other local consumers do,” said Francis Braganza, president of the Travel and Tourism of Goa, the apex body representing the travel and tour trade in Goa.
“Where is the question of copyrights as we only receive the signals and air the programmes,” he said.
TTAG points out that this is a problem faced by three star category hotels all across the state.
Braganza said, “Our members are legally obtaining cable connections from their local cable operators on payment of monthly subscription and therefore, any issue with regard to infringement of copyright should be taken up with the local cable operator and not with the hoteliers.
In so far as the issue of obtaining special licenses from broadcasters is concerned, the question does not arise at all as consumers of cable TV are required under law to pay charges as per tariff fixed by TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) from time to time to the local cable operator or their respective service provider.”
He said that in case any disputes of non-compliance of tariff order arises, it is specifically provided under the law that broadcasters should approach the statutory body which is the Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal ( TDSAT ) to seek redressal of the issue.
That the agents of the broadcasters are taking the help of the Goa Police to conduct raids and initiate action against hoteliers has also not been taken lightly by the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa.
The TTAG has written to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the Goa Police and the Tourism Ministry alleging harassment from broadcasters.
The hoteliers are awaiting a positive response from the government in this matter.
Xavier Fernandes, a cable operator in Calangute who is a service provider for a large number of hotels in this coastal circuit said, “I have been intervening between both factions (broadcasters and hoteliers) during the last couple of months to find an amicable settlement.”
“The issue of application of commercial rates for airing channels by hotels has come recently,” he said pointing out that in the past he and most other cable operators have been working out packages for hotels taking broadcasters into confidence. He felt that this raging dispute between broadcasters and hoteliers needs to be resolved amicably in the interest of tourism.
