Who decides what is ?prime content? and whether a television channel is worth the watch? Logically, it should be the consumer. But if you?re a viewer in Calcutta, it?s cable operator cartels and multi-system operators (MSO) who call the shots.

Current case in point: nearly 80 per cent of the city is now unable to catch sports action on ESPN STAR Sports (ESS), due to a ?payment dispute? involving MSO Indian Cable Net Company Ltd (ICNCL), which covers almost 45 per cent of city cable homes, and for no apparent reason on Manthan, an MSO with 30-35 per cent market share.

ESS was ?forced? to block beam on ICNCL (formerly RPG Netcom) on Sunday morning, because of an outstanding of Rs 3.5 crore. But Manthan has no payment problems with ESS ? all it has is ?solidarity? with ICNCL.

Currently, the two sports channels are beaming English Premier League and Spanish Football League, the New Zealand vs Australia Test series and the Tennis Masters Series, besides usual sports digests like Sportsline. None of which, according to the two MSOs, is content the viewer would miss.

?I don?t think apart from Amal Dutta and Subhas Bhowmick anyone else watches these football matches in the city,? said a Manthan operator, obviously not on the ball.

Also not on the ball is the government. ?I just heard from you (about the ESS blackout). No one has approached us on this,? was the reaction from Abhijit Sanyal, director of films and convener of the government-formed committee slated to oversee cable-related matters, on Monday.

Asked what steps the government would take now in preventing consumers being held to ransom yet again, Sanyal said: ?Of course, consumer interest is the primary concern. We will take the necessary steps.?

Not too long ago, the government had issued a no-switch-off call till end-January 2005. The broadcasters and MSOs had then agreed.

Today, the MSOs concerned are reluctant to take responsibility, pushing the ball into the court of steering committees formed by its cable operators. ?Please talk to our operators, who are deciding on the course of action,? parroted both MSOs on Sunday and Monday.

?It is unfortunate that sports-lovers are being blackmailed by the leading MSO,? said Rajesh Kaul, assistant vice-president, affiliate sales, ESS. ?Some operators have called us for direct service and we?re weighing our options.?

The viewer remains in no man?s land, as it matters little whether one has not defaulted on paying the friendly-neighbourhood-cableman for a single month. ?The consumer has no choice over the service and content. Can you imagine the same thing happening in any other sector?? fumed Sumit Saha from Baguiati.

A peeved viewer in Santoshpur contemplated a more ?logical? action. ?I?m seriously thinking of not paying the ESS share of Rs 39 in my cable bill next month.?