Jordan’s return to NBA used to blackmail Filipinos — Solon

Quezon City Rep. Nanette Castelo-Daza accused cable channel provider Star Group Inc. yesterday of using the comeback of basketball icon Michael Jordan as part of "its apparent blackmail" of local cable operators and their subscribers.

Daza hurled the accusation as she pushed for a congressional investigation into the brewing cable industry war pitting the Australia-based Star Group against Sky Vision Corp., Home Cable Inc. and Pilipino Cable Corp.

Daza said Jordan’s return to the National Basketball Association and the ongoing baseball World Series are apparently being exploited by Star as "bargaining chips" to force the local cable operators into giving in to demands for increased subscription rates and for the imposition of new contract conditions.

Two weeks ago, Star abruptly cut off cable feed of 10 popular channels to local cable companies, including the sports-dedicated ESPN and Star Sports. It claimed the decision was triggered by the refusal of local cable companies to pay subscription fees amounting to P160 million.

However, SkyCable and Home Cable charged that Star was trying to bully them into buying channels on a "take all or nothing" basis, when the two only wanted the sports and movie channels.

The Lopez-owned SkyCable said it could not afford a new contract after Star raised its rates from $5 million to $10 million.

Daza lashed at Star for resorting to drastic measures in order to collect the debt and impose stringent conditions that are expected to be passed on by local cable operators to their subscribers.

She urged the House committees on transportation and communications, legislative franchises and public information to initiate an inquiry in aid of legislation into the alleged bullying tactics.

The lawmaker pointed out that recent developments have placed cable TV subscribers at the mercy of feuding corporations.

"It has become incumbent upon Congress to dig deep into the issue. One side is at fault here and definitely, it is not the Filipino subscribers whose only mistake is to part with hard-earned money so that they can enjoy cable programs," she said.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel has also sought an inquiry into the sudden pullout of popular channels from SkyCable and Home Cable to determine if local operators may be liable for breaching their contracts with subscribers.