The Bulgarian national commercial station bTV has found itself in a dispute with cable operators over carriage fees.
According to a local report, 11 operators in the south east of the country have refused to pay the BGN2.32 (€1.19) per subscriber that the News Corp-owned station has begun to demand.
Unlike the public broadcaster BNT, bTV does not have must-carry status, and the operators may chose to drop the station from their line-up once the fees come into effect on September 1.
MTG-backed Nova TV, bTV’s closest rival on the commercial front, is understood to not at present charge cable operators a carriage fee.
BTV was recently put up for sale and has already attracted interest from several investment funds.
About Chris Dziadul
"In an industry that experiences rapid change and often a confusing subsequent
constant supply of news, it is often refreshing to read an insightful perspective. Broadband
TV News and its editorial team regularly provide a context and
helpful analysis to breaking news.”
Broadband TV News is the must-read publication for those working in the Business of the Multiscreen Television. We deliver news, insight and data direct to your desktop. As well as our constantly updated website you can sign-up to our Daily and Weekly email bulletins. 
Connected TV Forecasts NEW REPORT. The number of TV sets connected to the Internet will reach 551 million by 2016 for the 40 countries covered in this report from Digital TV Research, up from 124 million at end-2010. The report states that this translates to 20% of global TV sets by 2016, up from only 6% at end-2010. Published in November 2011, this 83-page PDF report is the most geographically comprehensive to ever be published.