Millions of viewers around the nation might soon not be able to follow the World Cup soccer action after ELTA TV threatened to cut its feed to ERA TV, which is showing the matches on the MUCH TV channel.
As the holder of a World Cup broadcast deal for the nation, ELTA said its rights have been violated by ERA.
ELTA, a sports programming network on Chunghwa Telecom’s multimedia-on-demand (MOD) system, issued a statement yesterday to announce it is launching a lawsuit against ERA, and has talked to FIFA about the situation.
DEAL
ERA said it signed a deal with ELTA earlier this year and is authorized to screen World Cup matches on its cable networks, as well as by satellite and wireless signals.
However, ELTA said the deal does not permit broadcasting of the World Cup on digital cable TV networks, so ERA has violated the terms of the deal by providing games to Kbro and other cable system operators.
ELTA said in the statement that the alleged violation of its World Cup broadcast rights “has seriously damaged Taiwan’s international reputation.”
The network has reported the case to the National Communications Commission and is planning to cut the feed it provides to ERA.
VIEWERS
If so, millions of viewers will be affected, as Kbro and other cable system operators combined have several million subscribers.
ERA filed an emergency court injunction on Friday, seeking to prevent ELTA from cutting the feed.
Viewers are angry over the news.
A netizen surnamed Lin wrote: “We have the right to watch World Cup games on TV. Viewers should not be victimized in this business dispute.”
Legislators have asked the commission to mediate.
“ELTA TV must not cut the feed. People should have access to World Cup games on cable TV. The public’s rights must not be sacrificed,” DPP Legislator Tsai Chi-chang said.
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