World SpaceNo more listening to 24 hours of music, virtually on tap, whether it’s Carnatic music on the Sruthi channel or Hindustani on Gandharv or the ‘golden oldies’ on Farishta.

On December 31, the WorldSpace satellite radio broadcast service will go off air for all customers serviced from India. This terse announcement on Christmas Day comes in an e-mail to subscribers from Mr Robert Schmitz, Chief Restructuring Officer, WorldSpace, Inc.

The mail goes on to say that, “This action is an outgrowth of the financial difficulties facing WorldSpace India’s parent company, WorldSpace, Inc., which has been under bankruptcy protection since October 2008. The potential buyer of much of WorldSpace’s global assets has decided not to buy the WorldSpace assets relating to and supporting WorldSpace’s subscription business in India. As a consequence, WorldSpace, Inc. must discontinue its subscriber business in India.”

The mail says that India subscribers’ contract is with WorldSpace, Inc., a US company that is in a bankruptcy proceeding in the US.

“The company recognises that you may have paid for services to be rendered beyond the termination date, but is not in a position to offer a refund for any unused portion of your subscription.”

Offering some solace, the e-mail says subscribers may have a potential remedy under the US bankruptcy law and they may file a claim under the claims procedure that is intended to protect creditors of the bankrupt company.

“Some time early next year, a claim servicing company will send notice to all creditors listed by the company,” says the mail.

The e-mail asks subscribers to send the information on their subscriptions to, ironically enough, a person of Indian origin, Mr Rakesh Raghavan, at the WorldSpace HQ in the US, to ensure “that you receive timely notice.”