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Anti-siphoning: Conroy shares the bad news

Nobody got exactly what they wanted from the new-look list: Free to Air, Pay TV, Sporting bodies or even viewers.

There were very few surprises in Senator Conroy’s plans for the new-look Anti-Siphoning List, but it left everyone feeling like they gained a little, and lost a little.

Free to Air gets to shift some events to digital channels. Pay TV gets to bid directly for some AFL and NRL games. It also sees the “use it or lose it” approach applied. AFL and NRL will see the value of their deals enhanced by more at the bidding table. And viewers get the assurance of some live events and the flexibility of events continuing on digital channels instead of being summarily paused.

But everyone lost a little bit too.

Foxtel is said to be disappointed that more events have not been removed from the list.

The Age reports the pay TV camp thought it would get access to events such as the Australian Open under the revised package.

But the Australian Open remains entrenched in both Tier A and Tier B lists, meaning Pay TV can only broadcast what is not screened by Free to Air networks.

With the use of multichannels available for non-finals, Seven is able to broadcast more games on 7TWO or 7mate.

FOX Sports will be pleased it did a deal with Seven this week for additional matches.

Pay TV is also unhappy that the the AFL‘s proposal to decide which matches would go their way was not accepted. Instead the government will put in place a legally binding mechanism to ensure that blockbuster AFL matches stay on free-to-air. These would include at least one game on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

But the new list of A and B events does not guarantee B list events must be played live.

In fact they can be screened by up to four hours delay.

With four weekly AFL games and three weekly NRL matches, that’s bad news for viewers who may have to await other programming such as Better Homes and Gardens to wrap before the bounce.

The changes are not radical reform but an adjustment that reflects the growing increase in digital uptake and Pay TV. After such a long wait, some had hoped for more significant change.

But Canberra has traditionally been reluctant to mess with anything that sees Aussies having their bat and ball taken away from them.

Given all the stakeholders and the ramifications of what change might mean, Conroy has steered a safe path.

“I think the minister has approached this sensibly and left us all equally unhappy, which from a government point of view is probably the right outcome,” said David Gyngell, chief executive of Nine Network-owner PBL Media.

Source: The Age, The Australian

16 Responses

  1. @Luke: Yes, that’s the big question (for Sydney/Brisbane viewers especially). TEN/ONE might do that on Sat nights, but don’t be surprised if 7 decide that 60s sitcoms and movies will still rate better on 7TWO and Mate on Fridays! But hey, live AFL on Fri nights in HD on Mate in Sydney would end a decade of frustration for me.

  2. Richard W, the answer is yes, in theory they can do that. Whether they actually will or not is another matter, but they will now be allowed to show tier B sport on a secondary channel separately anyhow (no more simulcasts with the primary channel needed except for tier A). Fingers crossed the betworks do the right thing by the fans (showing sport on your HD channel would be a start – you know who you are!).

  3. @Justin and Guy: Yes the new list as regulation comes into effect Jan 1 but all the other provisions such as playing matches on multi-channels requires changes to the Broadcasting Service Act. The legislation has to be written, pass both houses of parliament and then declared law by the GG.

    The legistlation has not even been written yet and Parliament won’t sit until late Jan early Feb.

    So no the new rules won’t apply for the Aus Open until 2012.

    There is a big difference between regualtion and legislation that effects laws.

  4. the new anti – siphoning list come in on January the 1st and the new list will apply to the Australian open tennis this year i just hope here in Adelaide we dont get the 30 minute delay again. And Friday night footy must be Live and National as this will be the best game of the week. And All cricket matches are in tire A which means from January they must be live and in full. I like that in Full clause

  5. @Jerome

    Thats where you are wrong. The current Anti-Siphoning list ends 31 December 2010. The new one starts Jan 1 2011 according to the official press release from the government.

  6. I have a question for Conroy (suspect he doesn’t read this site though).

    Why do AFL get 4 games and NRL only get three games? Both comps have 16 teams (AFL 17 next year), so I don’t understand why NRL gets one game less per week (other than Nine only show three games now)

  7. @jerome You’ll still going to get the same issue in 2012 as all games (except for the mens and womans final) are in “tier b” meaning that they can be delayed. Viewers outside NSW/Vic will still get the time zone delay (not that it particularly bothers me)

  8. The main disappointment is that the sport that had the most to gain, the australian open, will not see the benefits of the changes until 2012 as they don’t come into place until Feb. So 7 will still need to chop it off at 6:00 for the news this time

  9. Can anyone tell me if Channel 9 can, in theory, show both of their Friday night games live, one on the main channel and the other on on GO! or GEM? Therefore you can choose which one to watch?

    Also for example, for the Australian Open, can 7 and 7TWO both have different coverage showing different games live so you can chose which one to watch? Cause thats what I want out of all this… more choice!

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