MUMBAI: The Kerala High Court has asked pubcaster Prasar Bharati to indicate how much it would be willing to pay for simulcasting live the ongoing India-Bangladesh cricket series.

The question relates to a public interest petition filed last week, seeking telecast of the matches on national broadcaster Doordarshan (DD). The court's query to DD was prompted by ESPN Star Sports' (ESS) insistence on a compensation if the matches were to be simulcast. The court will continue hearing the case tomorrow.

ESS has acquired five-year exclusive telecast rights to the Bangladesh board for Rs 500 million.

When contacted, Prasar Bharati chief executive officer KS Sarma told indiantelevision.com: "At this stage, we can only take up live telecast of the matches if we have a revenue share arrangement with ESS. The ratio can be worked out with ESS."

ESPN Software India managing director R C Venkatesh, however, was unwilling to discuss the issue. "As the matter is sub-judice, we would not like to offer any comment at this juncture," he said.

The advertising rates on cricket matches have been on a downward trend recently. DD earned an average net revenue of Rs 15 million a day for the India-South Africa Test series. Though the India-Bangladesh series has not drawn audiences and advertisers, DD feels there may be some interest in the one-dayers.

Meanwhile, ESPN has switched off signals to Rajan Raheja-promoted Hathway Cable & Datacom and Asianet for non payment of dues. This has coincided with the telecast of the India-Bangladesh cricket series.