Govt hints at sport on multichannels
Free to Air networks are expecting to get the greenlight to play more sports on their multichannels.
- Published by David Knox
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Free to Air networks are expecting to get the greenlight to play more sports on their multichannels, following a meeting with Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
Freeview organised a meeting between Free to Air Networks and Conroy in Melbourne last week, claims The Age.
The “Background Briefing” indicated changes to the anti-siphoning list would came after the Federal Election.
But allowing key sporting events on digital channels will thwart Pay TV’s “Use it or Lose It.” It wants access to bid for the sports the networks own but never utilise. If networks can shift them to multichannels then expect the Pay TV sector to be angry -especially when sport is their highest-rating product.
A resolution on the review of the list would also be good news to the AFL, looking to finalise its broadcast rights for the 2012-2016 seasons by the end of the year, while the NRL is eager to broker a deal for 2013-2017. The Sydney Morning Herald says NRL powerbrokers can begin their discussions with Channel Nine from January 1. It is believed Nine has a 90-day window in which only that network can be part of the talks – after which the NRL can then start negotiating with the other networks.
It is likely that the anti-siphoning laws would be confirmed by January 1, but should Tony Abbott be victorious, the negotiations could be delayed.
The Age also notes that all three commercial FTA networks will be granted an extra digital station in the next 12 months.
Source: The Age, SMH.com.au
25 Responses
This fourth channel the commercials are apparently going to be allowed next year raises the issue of where the spectrum will come from. They cannot fit a fourth channel into their current digital frequency allocations.
There seems only two possibilities for them to obtain extra frequency:
1. The government will give the networks UHF 35 to share (that’d give them enough extra frequency for one SD channel each, and might leave enough for ABC 5 as well). UHF 35 was originally intended for datacasting, but that’s now dead, and was recently used by SBS and Nine for their 3D trial broadcasts. No plan for its long-term future has been announced by the government as yet.
2. The government intends to allow the commercials to keep at least one of the old analog frequencies (VHF 7, 9, 10 or UHF 28) after the analog shutdown in 2013 for these new fourth digital channels. That would delay any fourth digital channels until after the analog switchoff of course and it would mean the government’s plan to sell off all the old analog frequencies for mobile phone/TV and internet use would have to change.
Either option (number 1 seems the more likely) involves the government giving existing broadcasters valuable extra frequency that could otherwise be auctioned off for big money.
The government – caught between a rock (a pot of telecoms money) and a hard place (their desperation to please media companies in the hope of getting friendly coverage from them). The people – not consulted. Not even to be informed of the decision until after the election.
I can see it now!! the Nine network will be showing replays of League 7 days a week as it does with two and a half men.
FTA rebates. Secret back room meetings. Not releasing the report until after the election for favourable coverage…. Sounds like government corruption.
It may look good early on but the end result the digital channels will not be showing all that much,Primary channel will always be number 1,there is not enough money around for them to be that way inclined……..The Government should also step back and stop handing out very generous deals to FTA.Let them run there own race to make it a fairer competition with FTA and Foxtel as it should be
Vote 1 Tony Abbott .
Remember most people not Me were all excited about the digital channels,and found themselves very disappointed.This is another one of these stories
Sheesh! more bl**dy sport!!
I’m with Austar and we are getting the sport channels for free at the moment, and SO much of it is damned football of one sort or another… sickening!
If they do not or cannot commit to showing it live and in full then they should be stripped of the rights – immediately…it’s simple use it or lose it.
Just goes to show what a farce the anti-siphoning law is,let all sport be open to the free market and ultimately we will be the winners.
About time. Can’t wait for premium sport on multi-channels. I pay for foxtel but I hate the fact that they dominate sports boradcasting. FTA shoudl be free to show whatever they want on whatever channel. It will be great. It offers more free choice for the public and great flexibility for FTA so they can schedule live sport on Multi channels and leave the main channel schedule for General entertainment.
JB: at the moment, networks aren’t allowed to show anti-siphoning list sports on their digital multichannels before they’ve aired on the main channel – so Nine cannot legally show NRL or Kangaroos games on GO in AFL states, and Seven/Ten can’t show AFL games on 7TWO/One in NRL states. With the accelerating takeup of digital this law is now rapidly becoming obsolete, hence the changes which Sen. Conroy has apparently announced.
maybe additional sport will only be shown on the HD channels, thus leaving GO! and SevenTWO alone. lets hope
There’s too much already on FTA. Especially during Summer, give us some decent entertainment on multichannels
i like the idea of the third channel,but not more sports on the multichannels
What’s the point? There’s no Wimbledon anymore in FTA. Damnit!
@Alex & Dougal: iiNet broadband customers can watch EPL streamed live. The pic’s not as nice but is quite watchable and it is free.
Well if ABC can have 4 channels, no reason why the others can’t.
Will this really make a difference??? What’s stopping Nine now from showing rugby league games at a decent timelot on GO! Anything that gets sport available to all on free-to-air is good though.
More FTA channel, where are they going to get the bandwidth? The quality of some are already suffering and we only have a handful of full HD channels.
Would love to see a league and epl on free to air
about time they changed things. it’s been pathetic the way 7, 9 and 10 put sports on fta
The lack of A-League and English Premier League on free to air is the only reason I have Pay-TV.
This happens after Nine dumps Wimbledon so who cares.
To much sport on TV already. Dont need any more, 7TWO and GO! are terrible already, so dont make them worse.
Arrrh, i can see it now, 12 channels full of sport on the weekends, thats not good.
In my opinion all sport should just go to the highest bidder.
It’s a commercial enterprise. Why does the government need to get involved.
If that highest bidder is Fox Sports or ESPN, good luck to them.
If the highest bidder is Go! or 7TWO, then good luck to them too.
They are already ‘allowed’ a new channel now – a third original channel and are not taking up on that offer. Just because they’re allowed, doesn’t mean they will. Damn you networks!
Immediate benefit should be Live Friday night NRL into Vic, SA, WA and Tas on GO! if Nine does the right thing.