According to RPG Netcom, one of the two multisystem operators in Calcutta, Sony wants revised commercial terms but the cable operators taking their feed from RPG Netcom have refused to pay more. "The broadcaster wants a higher rates for beaming the channel as it knows its popularity. We are not in a position accept it without talking to the cable operators," the RPG spokesman said.

An official of AXN said the channel wants a fresh agreement. "The previous agreement expired on December 31 last year. We have sought a few changes, and the channel will be beamed again after talks with RPG," the official said. "The talks are not likely to begin before March 8, as a lot of our senior officials are now at Sun City in South Africa at a global media conference," the AXN official said. The RPG spokesman could not say when the channel will be back on its menu, but said the channel is very popular with viewers. However, the Forum of Cable Operators said the channel has no demand.

"If it had, our subscribers would have pestered us. But no one has complained," said an official of the FCO. Last year, AXN was one of the six pay channels that went off the screens. The FCO had asked the broadcaster to distribute it at 25 per cent of the rate sought. "The rate was lowered from Rs 4.50 to Re 1.12. Still it was not viable," the FCO spokesman claimed. AXN had asked the FCO to run the channel and get feedback from subscribers within one year", he said. But subscribers are not keen on the channel," he said.