News published on 25.9.2007
Cable
TV control room to be set up
Cable TV control rooms to be set up
CHENNAI: Members of the Tamizhaga Cable TV Operators’ General Welfare Association (TCOA) and the Tamizhaga Cable TV Urimayalargal Sangam have decided to set up cable TV control rooms in “SCV-dominated” Chennai, Madurai, Tirupur, Tiruchi, Coimbatore and Tirunelveli districts.
The new enterprise has been christened Royal Cable Vision. Two control rooms have been set up, one each in Madurai and Tirupur, by roping in cable TV operators who are members of either organisation.
The process is on to lay its own optic fibre cable network to provide an alternative feed to viewers wanting to opt out of the SCV package, P. Shakilan of the TCOA said. While the idea came from TCOA, cable TV operators in each district had volunteered to set up their own control room.
The response from the two places where the control rooms have been set up has been good, Mr. Shakilan said. Currently, they were providing only free to air channels, but talks were on with other channels to provide pay channels as well. The priority would be for Tamil channels, which would be positioned in the prime band. The Sun group of channels were not being shown as SCV had refused to share its feed.
Once the Government Cable Corporation is set up, these control rooms will merge with the official set-up, Mr. Shakilan said. He spoke to The Hindu after a day-long fast in protest against the Sun group offering DTH service at low cost.
“Subscribers are finding out that they have to pay installation charges and some other charges when they go to buy a Sun DTH dish. Also we are wary if the initial offer price of Rs.75 will be retained later,” Mr. Shakilan said.
Members of both the organisations went on fast throughout State on Monday.
The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Cable TV control rooms to be set up