Anti-siphoning list extended to 2023
Due to expire in April, the list protecting sport on Free to Air just got extended to 2023.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
Sports nailed to the Anti-Siphoning list -which was due to expire on April 1st- will enjoy a two year extension under the Morrison Government.
The federal government has confirmed the current broadcast anti-siphoning list will now remain until April 2023.
“It is clear that the current anti-siphoning list requires review to make sure that it continues to meet the expectation of Australian audiences,” Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said in a statement. “We also need to consider the impact that COVID-19 has had on how live sporting events are broadcast and the associated changes in deals negotiated between broadcasters and rights holders.
“This decision means that for the next two years the free-to-air networks will continue to have the first opportunity to purchase the rights to culturally significant events, such as the Olympic Games and other major sporting events.”
The anti-siphoning list, last updated in 2017, protects Free to Air broadcasting of Tier A events such as the Melbourne Cup Australian Open finals, AFL and NRL grand finals, Test matches involving Australia and Tier B events including Olympics and Commonwealth Games. The scheme lowers the risk of subscription television broadcasters obtaining exclusive rights to televise events of national importance and cultural significance.
But the list also does not factor in streaming platforms which have no restrictions or local content requirements, while today’s news is likely to frustrate Foxtel.
Paul Fletcher indicated he will review the list over the next two years as part of a media reform program.
14 Responses
I assume Bathurst 1000 and Aus F1 GP is still safe then for FTA?
What if Foxtel were to switch off its cable and satellite distribution signals and become a streaming service only? Would that then enable Foxtel to bid for exclusive rights thereby locking out the FTA networks? If only Rupert did not hobble the FTTP NBN and crppled us with the stinking wreck of HFC and FTTN NBN, then things may be different for Foxtel as a purely streaming company.
It did doesn’t do anything of the sort. It stops Pay-TV bidding for matches that FTA has made an offer for 6 months before it is played. Change is comming, this is just the Government putting it’s hands up in the air and saying that it’s nothing to do with them.
Most AFL & NRL games, Australias ODIs and T20s and some BBL matches are exclusively broadcast on Foxtel under the rules. And the AFL, NRL, Cricket Australian Open, Olympics, Rugby are all covered by deals that go past 2023 anyway.
It will be interesting to see what happens when the NRL decides to stream all their games, and Nine sues to buy the 3 or 4 games a week they want at $1 each under the Anti-syphoning rules.
> first opportunity to purchase the rights to culturally significant events <
So that means Live coverage of rights and not delayed?
While it’s great news that the anti-syphoning list will be extended to 2023, the list needs to be expanded to include all cricket played by Australia and all AFL games. The Government should enforce the rules so FTA stations can’t on-sell to payTV. Monopolies are always a bad thing.
And in 2023 the anti-siphoning list had been extended to 2025 and 2027 and 2029.
“… today’s news is likely to frustrate Foxtel” … and yet there are still people who genuinely believe that the Morrison government is in Rupert’s pocket … gotta laugh doncha …
The current anti siphoning list includes every NRL game and every AFL game, not just the finals.
There is Tier A and B though.
There is no Tier A and B – that was a proposed amendment that never got passed.
With Stan now showing Super Rugby under the 9 banner and 7 to do the same with the Olympics on 7+, how is showing the events on these platforms considered FTA television? Needing to use data to view the event is clearly not Free.
Yes, internet access isn’t free, but buying a TV isn’t free the last I checked. I think the siphoning list should be updated to reflect the use of streaming, such that anything on the siphoning list should be on a freely accessible streaming option. But I daresay there will be lobbying to remove it entirely, which would be a bad outcome.
You buy a TV which is a 1 time purchase with the content you watch being available for free. You add the app to your already bought TV, but then have to continue to pay to view the content through the use of Data. Even if they give you the content subscription free, which they will for these events, It still simply cant be classified as FTA TV, because you have to pay a fee to be able to view it..
Super Rugby: is actually not on the anti-siphoning list, you’ll find: only the Wallabies and Rugby World Cup are.
However, there needs to be significant changes to how the Olympics and Commonwealth Games are represented on the anti-siphoning list, especially in light of the lack of interest to date by Australian FTA in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
A move toward mandating required FTA coverage levels (instead of requiring coverage for “each event held”) for large multi-sport events like the Olympics (e.g. 200hrs minimum on FTA (inc. ceremonies) would allow a fairer playing field, especially if Fox/streaming provider would have to cede some coverage to FTA.