Calcutta, Nov. 22: Who decides what is ?prime content? and whether a television channel is worth the watch? Logically, it should be the consumer. But in Calcutta, cable operator cartels and multi-system operators (MSO) 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.