Jaks entry sends jitters among cable operators

CHENNAI:  Is it the beginning of another round of cable wars in Tamil Nadu? Whatever it is, it looks like the end of monopoly in cable television business even as many cable TV operators keenly await the revival of government-owned Arasu Cable Corporation.While is is evident that Arasu Corporation would be started again, the sudden entry of another Multi-System Operator (MSO), Jak, in Chennai region has raised doubts in the minds of some cable TV operators, who fear getting caught in a cable war as in the past.As of now Sun network, whose Sumangali Cable Vision (SCV) is the dominant player in the market, virtually dominates the market. When the AIADMK, whose manifesto promised to start the government MSO won the election, the Cable TV operators’ association was upbeat. Both P Sakeelan of Tamil Nadu Cable TV operators welfare assocation and Kayal Ilavarasu of TN Cable TV owners Union told Express that they wanted revival of Arasu Cable Co-poration. Ilavarasu said it was the only solution.However, D G V P Sekar of the Federation of Cable TV Associations (South India) said Arasu Cable is not the final solution. It failed earlier as it was introduced only in some parts of the State, he said and added that unless the government distributed pay channels at nominal rates to the operators there would be no end to their woes.He expressed apprehension over the entry of Jak, saying that it threatened to throw existing operators out of business. Jak was inaugurated more than a year ago by M K Alagiri, the Union Chemicals Minister when it was rumoured that his son Durai Dayanithi was a partner in the company. Jak has managed to get the MSO licence for Chennai region only now.