The cable industry in Bulgaria has found itself caught up in a dispute with the country’s leading broadcaster bTV.
Novinite reports that it came to a head on December 23, when bTV and TV7 took off their channels from Bulsatcom, which provides its service to cable operators, citing breach of contract by failure to pay due fees and underreporting subscriber numbers.
The Bulgarian Association of Cable Communication Operators (BACOO) responded by saying that it would have to suspend bTV and TV7 from its programme line-up due to their actions constituting a breach of contract.
The channels were then temporarily reinstated until January 2 and the matter referred to Nellie Kroes, the EU Digital Agenda Commissioner, by the Association of Telecom Users.
BTV is owned by Central European Media Enterprises (CME) and operates a total of six channels.
TV7, on the other hand, was acquired by the London-based company Alegro Capital in November 2012.
