Cable TV viewers

By S. A. Mansoor, Gulshan, Dhaka
11 November 2005, 18:00 PM
Ershad Kamol's column on the subject gives a background of the Cable Distributors' conflict. We the unfortunate viewers are the uncalled for sufferers. This has resulted in curtailment in our viewing options thanks to the fight of the titans!

However Pavel Rahman from Paltan hits the nail on the head when he says that despite lack of available channels, the cable operators are not decreasing line rent. This is the crux of the issue. While the titans fight the ordinary viewers suffer, and even have to pay for it!

I wonder like the consumer society, if we the viewers can have area-based societies eventually to create pressure on cable operators. We could set guide lines for a mutual contract between viewer and cable operator where we declare that we pay the rent for compulsory coverage of say twenty channels of our choice. If the channels chosen are not available then we will deduct the proportionate amount to the number of channels not available. This could be a realistic approach, which will in turn mobilise the cable operators to take appropriate measures with the distributors to ensure viewers' coverage. Without this I believe the viewers' sufferings will continue.