New Delhi: Public Broadcaster Prasar Bharati has approached the information and broadcasting ministry (MIB) seeking an increase in its share of advertising revenue realized from a sports event to 40% from the current 25%.
Presently, the public broadcaster is entitled to 25% of the total advertising revenue realized from sports events of national importance while the rest 75% remains with the broadcasting rights holder (read a private channel), according to the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007. Prasar Bharati is seeking an amendment in the aforementioned Act to increase its share of the revenue.
The law mandates private broadcasters to share live broadcasting signals of sporting events of national importance with Prasar Bharati simultaneously, to enable the public broadcaster to re-transmit the same on its terrestrial networks and direct-to-home networks.
“We will make an appeal to the secretary (at the I&B ministry) that this amendment should be brought about which will allow Prasar Bharati to keep 40% of the revenues, leaving 60% with the rights holders,” said Jawhar Sircar, chief executive officer at Prasar Bharati.
The broadcaster is planning to take up the matter in its next board meeting due this month and has already sent the proposal to the ministry.
