Deferred live telecast of four
World Cup matches on DD

Indian football fans will not be able to watch the football World Cup, starting on May 31, in Japan and South Korea, live on Doordarshan, as Prasar Bharti failed to secure telecast rights for the month-long tournament.

According to an agreement reached between Doordarshan and B4U, which holds deferred terrestrial rights for telecast of the matches in India, the former would be able to beam only four matches, and that too deferred live.

Doordarshan director general S Y Qureshi told rediff.com on Tuesday that Doordarshan would telecast the opening match, the two semi-finals and the final.

"According to the agreement reached with B4U, they would pay Doordarshan Rs 50,000 per half hour for these matches. Highlights of rest of the matches would be telecast at 11 pm daily. The highlights capsule would be a one-hour package," Qureshi informed.

Asked why Doordarshan is telecasting recorded matches and only showing highlights, Qureshi said B4U have only rights for deferred live telecast.

"We can get what they offer us," said another Doordarshan official.

Doordarshan will sell the time slot for advertisements, said K Kunnikrishnan, a senior official, who was involved in prolonged negotiations with officials of B4U.

"We will sell ad-time. We would deduct our fee and give the rest to B4U," he said.

All the matches will, however, be telecast live in India by Ten Sports channel which won the rights.