Anti-siphoning answer nears
Commercial networks are expected to be allowed to broadcast sport on multi-channels, when the anti-siphoning list is resolved.
- Published by David Knox
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Commercial networks are expected to be allowed to broadcast sport on multi-channels, when the Gillard Government finally settles the anti-siphoning list.
Sports are expected to be shuffled into A List of premium sports on primary channels, with a B List of events that can play on digital channels such as 7TWO, 7mate and ONE.
The Australian reports Communications Minister Stephen Conroy will hold meetings with key stakeholders, expected to include all TV networks and major sporting bodies, in coming weeks to clarify final positions.
Key changes are likely to include more live AFL broadcasts, particularly on Friday night, Twenty20 Cricket being added to the anti-siphoning list along with Socceroos World Cup qualifying matches, therefore ensuring free-to-air broadcast on Seven, Nine or TEN. Suites of AFL or NRL matches are tipped to be available to be bought by subscription TV providers.
The “use it or lose it” policy is expected to be instituted, with broadcasters having to show key A-list events live or forfeit them.
The current list of 1300 events expires at the end of the year.
A submission on the new rules will go to Cabinet within three weeks.
Source: The Australian
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- Tagged with AFL, FIFA World Cup, NRL, Twenty20 cricket
23 Responses
Hooray at last no more pathetic excuses for delaying sport cricket wont be cut out for news and no more half and hour delay for Australian open tennis night sessions here in Adelaide. A Listed Event must be screen live and in full. I like it where it says full coverage not part coverage. Channel nine have been a disgrace for years with their cricket coverage.
@brett I specifically watch NFL and F1 on One, and coverage of both is excellent. 9 used to only show the races, and only way-late at night (all races are live on One, as well as quali), and this year we’re getting “NFL total access” being shown twice a week, in addition to the 3 live games, which is also excellent. If they have poor coverage of something then it must be in another sport. Very happy with the channel. 🙂
The best news is the the Australian National football team qualification matches will be on FTA. But only if the FTA pay the same as FOX would and not sell them to alf centric C7.
Until ONE show they know the first thing about sports coverage ( i can’t comment on motor racing, i don’t watch it) they shoudl be considered a “secondary channel”.
I don’t have FOX, and i Love my sport, but you could do away with the anti-syphoning laws and i couldn’t complain. The free-to-Air channels coverage of sport in this country is, on the whole, just deplorable. They do it on the cheap (particularly Ch 9) and the sports deserve better in this day and age. Look at Nine coverage of the NRL and tell us how they have improved their coverage since say 1999?
Give all networks more spectrum, 5 channels each, 3 sd for general entertainment and 2 hd channels for sport.
The wording of this has me worried. To class One as a secondary channel when it comes to sport shows a disturbing lack of common sense. I understand some places are still not converted to digital, which is the sore thumb, but they should at least allow One to show an event live with a delayed 10 broadcast, like they do with F1 (which isn’t on the list). As long as events on this A-list still have to be broadcast on “primary” first, thus necessitating the 10-One simulcasts, then 10 still have their hands severely tied.
I’m not a cricket fan, but adding IPL to the A-list could cause it to disappear from FTA altogether. i.e. simulcasts would now be required for that too, and if there isn’t the audience numbers there to support it tying up both One and 10 at the same time…
Defintely need some common sense around this when it comes to One.
All I ask is the V8 supercars are in HD for a change.
This is not a good as i hoped it would be, however it is better then what we have had so far. THis means that sports which are not as popular can be shown on the digital channels. Australia will unfortunetly have this problem untill the analogue signal is swtiched off in 2013. Untill then we will have to put up with it, again still better then what we have now and what we have had. Hopefully when the analogue signal is switched off sports and movies and music will get their own channels on FTA. i for one would love to see Video Hits get its own channel or at very least get a prime time slot on 11. THe use or loose it clause or rule is a very good thing. Hopefully for sports enthusiasts like me this part of the anouncement will hold some comfort.
We really don’t need 14 channels of sport on the weekends and that’s what these incompetent networks will give us.
Why doesn’t the Government/networks think about people who don’t want to watch sports crap all of the time? Why can’t they be able to broadcast sports on a separate network – that only shows sports at certain times. For example on Friday nights on Seven – BH&G can be on and on a separate channel the AFL can be on and once its finished it closes. The networks could apply for the times/dates they wish to broadcast.
Now there Iis a reason for people to get Foxtel.
Hoping One HD wins more contracts for live sport in the coming years – and is allowed to play matches on there and not simulcast on Ten.
One will always have schedule flexibility to play matches live. Primary channels often don’t want to mess with their existing schedule for games.
It’s pretty clear that those of us who watch the major footy codes want all AFL and NRL games to be shown live around the country, preferably on the HD channel or lose it to Foxtel. Will the government listen to the people… based on Conroy’s continued internet censorship path, it’s hard to feel confident, but I live in hope!
About fraken time!
Maybe then we can have AFL in HD on ONE without TEN having to tie up its main channel with the same match!
It will also encourage people to go digital or miss out!
I hope this means that the State of Origin must now be shown live in Perth…
and that either 9 et al show league or give it all to foxtel for WA…
The simple ‘use-it-or-lose-it” decree should be that all sport must be shown live…
i bet $1 million that friday night football will Not be live in perth on either a primary channel or a digital channel
our only hope is for foxtel to be able to broadcast it on main event like they do for NSW and Qld.
Afterall I pay to watch football and even after paying i cannot see it live… what a joke…
Each network should aim to have something other than sport on at least 1 of their 3 channels at all times in order to keep variety and maximize potential audience coz plenty of people can’t stand watching sport.
Sounds great. I doubt you’ll see wall-to-wall sport over the weekend but what pleases me most is that soccer qualifying will now be on FTA. I’m still waiting on the A-League to come to SBS though.
I do think that to assume that ‘most people’ have made the switch is a little rich. In some places the infrastructure just isn’t in place yet. It’ll be good to see how they market the sport on 7TWO, 7MATE, GO!, and GEM.
Bring on the changes. Can’t wait. For once the networks will be allowed to priorotise sport. We need these changes and there can never be enought sport on FTA.
Digital TV has now been available for a decade, the vast majority have switched over, and some areas now have no analogue broadcasts at all. There should be no ‘A List’ and ‘B List’ that distinguishes between sports that must be shown on analogue and those that can be shown on digital channels. At this point, the continuing analogue broadcasts should really be considered a courtesy service for those who are yet to change – allowing more sport to shift to other channels would give more incentive for people to make the inevitable switch, decreeing that things must remain on analogue removes this incentive.
Rob
Ch 9’s treatment of NRL is same down here in Melbourne.
The preliminary final was screened in delay at 12.20AM. The grand final was live but no presentations, only the game and the pitiful pre-match “entertainment”.
I hope the secondary channels are used. At least we’ll get sport in HD. None of the primary channels are in HD any longer.
Just scrap the list entirely and let the marketplace rule.
this is very good news – will mean more sport will be on fta and at a decent time. I hope they make the networks show the ‘a list’ sports as close to live as possible as well. Might also mean people in non-afl or non-nrl states (e.g.) may actually get to watch games at a decent hr!!
Interesting to see how AFL in NSW/QLD is treated re: A or B lists. If you wanted to watched Geelong v Collingwood on a friday night in NSW then at best you wait to 9:30pm or worse midnight. If it’s a A list then paytv get it and Seven/Prime lose it but if it’s on a digital channel will it be live or just broadcast closer to start time because 7 execs can justify more ad revenue from other 7wo/mate content. Good to see socceroos in some form will return to FTA.
Oh no… sounds like 14 or so digital channels filled with sport every weekend.