NEW DELHI: The confrontation between
broadcasters and IPL reached a flashpoint on Tuesday with the News Broadcasters
Association, the body of top news channels, announcing that all its members
would boycott the IPL.

Talks between IPL and official broadcaster SET
Max, on the one hand, and the news channel, on the other, broke down when
IPL/SET Max refused to consider any of the issues raised by NBA and said the
terms set down by them for coverage were non-negotiable.

This means
there will be no surround sound about IPL matches on TV channels, although the
game itself would be telecast by SET Max. This is bound to reduce the buzz
around the IPL tournament as news channels not only report the matches, but also
analyse the games.

IPL chairman Lalit Modi did not respond to calls
or messages. But he tweeted, ‘‘News channels never had rights to
broadcast IPL. Those are exclusively SET Max. You will see all matches on Set
live…You can get regular news of all IPL related stories as they happen on
IPLT20.com.’’

The NBA, which represents 34 news
channels, is opposed to the new terms that are more stringent than those set
down by IPL in 2008, the last time IPL was played in India. The new terms have
slashed the amount of time footage can be shown to just 7 minutes in a day,
stipulated that nothing can be shown until 30 minutes after the post-match prize
distribution ceremony, and set down certain ownership restrictions for channels.

For instance, the new terms say that unless the sole business of the
owner of a news channel is production of news, that channel will not qualify as
a news channel. The NBA has found these clauses restrictive and an unwarranted
interference with the working of the media.

Tuesday’s meeting,
it is learnt, began on a bad note as the IPL/Set Max representative came very
late for the scheduled meeting and then brushed aside all objections.
‘‘We were left with no option but to say that in the circumstances,
we will not cover the IPL,’’ said an editor.

The NBA
statement said: ‘‘In view of this position unilaterally taken by
IPL/Set Max, members of the NBA are unable to offer to their viewers any
coverage in relation to IPL or its proposed matches.’’ It regretted
the ‘‘inconvenience’’ to viewers but put the blame
squarely on IPL/Set Max for its ‘‘unreasonable commercial
approach’’.

IPL is scheduled to be held between March 12
to April 25. In previous years, the IPL attracted TRP ratings of an astounding
9.81 for the 2008 final while it got 9.29 in the 2009 final. For the 2010
edition, Sony has sold advertising spots for an estimated Rs 2 lakh for 10
seconds while regular and presenting sponsors have shelled out
25%-30%.

Media sources said that the Set Max had expressed concern
that the 2008 guidelines had not been adhered to by some broadcasters who
screened footage indiscriminately causing a ‘‘major
loss’’ to the host broadcaster. Set Max had arrived at a negotiated
settlement of about Rs 8,700 crore with IPL for broadcast rights for 10
years.

But broadcast sources added that news channels had offered to
put in place a set of norms to prevent ‘‘over utilisation of
footage’’ at Tuesday’s meeting. A broadcaster said there had
been a breach of trust since the 2008 norms were expected to be upheld till
perpetuity. ‘‘Instead IPL authorities have just brought in a new set
of norms without any discussion,’’ the source said.

The
channels have joined cause with international news agencies that have boycotted
the first two editions of the event because of contentious clauses in the media
accreditation guidelines.

QnA: Is IPL the biggest threat to cricket?