Free-to-air TV may get first dibs on sport

[Trjn]

If free-to-air puts games on live, even if only on their HD channels, then I'm all for it. If they keep up the shenanigans they've been doing at the moment, then something is going dramatically wrong.

Also, does anyone know why the anti-siphoning laws apply to the HD channels when digital TV is meant to be available to everyone and is free-to-air?

 

[Vader]

If free-to-air puts games on live, even if only on their HD channels, then I'm all for it. If they keep up the shenanigans they've been doing at the moment, then something is going dramatically wrong.

Also, does anyone know why the anti-siphoning laws apply to the HD channels when digital TV is meant to be available to everyone and is free-to-air?

Digital TV & the HD channels weren't around when the legislation was originally written (mid 90s from memory). The legislation is presumably written in such a way that it defines the FTA channels too narrowly, not allowing for multiple simultaneous broadcasts by individual networks.

As a result, the HD & secondary channels (eg Go!) aren't covered by the anti-siphoning laws and they can't broadcast the games on them until they've been broadcast on the main channels.

This limitation is absolutely certain to disappear when the legislation is updated. The question is what happens to the anti-siphoning list?

EDIT: ChTeen show the F1 grand prix live on OneHD several hours ahead of their main channel delayed telecast. I wonder how they're able to do this legally, but can't do the same thing for AFL matches?

 

[Vader]

10 ads after goals if it's ch7

I don't have a problem with 1 ad after goals - it fills the dead airtime while the field umpires run the ball from the goals to the centre of the ground. The problems arise when they show additional ads and/or a replay of the goal as well. They have about 30 seconds to play with - but Ch7's greed results in that blowing out to around 1min 30sec, badly disrupting play in the process.

 

[Crazy Joe Davola]

Terrible for those who actually want to see live sporting events....

At least the pay-tv channels actually televise the games when they are on.....

exactly. And foxtel satellite is available everywhere. My sister in country WA was told digital tv is 3 years away?

 

[Borgsta]

Forgive me if I am wrong but don't FTA stations get first dibs on most sporting events anyway?

 

[Durham Hawks]

LIVE > Free.

 

[Vader]

Forgive me if I am wrong but don't FTA stations get first dibs on most sporting events anyway?

Only if it's on the anti-siphoning list. The list was last updated in 2006, which resulted in things like the minor rounds of the French & US Opens (tennis) being removed.

Here's the current list:
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_91822

Interesting that the English FA Cup soccer is on the list, but the Australian soccer league is not.

 

[Vader]

LIVE > Free.

I beg to differ. I don't have Foxtel and have no intentions of getting it until they change their subscription model - so I don't have to pay for 57 channels of complete dross, just so that I can watch the 4 or 5 channels which do interest me.

Under Live vs Free, I have the choice of seeing it live or not seeing it at all. I'll take a delayed telecast over paying for unwanted dross, any day of the week.

 

[TheStinger]

In all reality it is down to whoever has the most money wins when it comes to getting the rights to a sporting event. So I reckon if Foxtel want to pay more for a sport because they know that they can show it live and a FTA network will think I can't pay that because we will not show it live then so be it.

The FTA networks go running to the government crying that Foxtel are taking all the good stuff because they have so much money. I'm pretty sure that the FTA networks aren't skint. They have money coming out the wazoo. So basically they want to pay less for events so that they can show it whenever they want because they know that people will watch and they will still get advertising dollars.

Just get rid of these phony baloney laws/rules and just make it if you really want the event, then you pay for it. If people don't want to pay to see it then Fox don't make enough money to justify what they paid for the event and the price lowers so the FTA networks get another go.

If they want it straight up then they will have to pay for the privilege of showing it for "free".

 

[Hollow Knight]

I beg to differ. I don't have Foxtel and have no intentions of getting it until they change their subscription model - so I don't have to pay for 57 channels of complete dross, just so that I can watch the 4 or 5 channels which do interest me.

Under Live vs Free, I have the choice of seeing it live or not seeing it at all. I'll take a delayed telecast over paying for unwanted dross, any day of the week.

When you buy a newspaper, do you stand there at the counter removing the pages that don't interest you and demanding that you get a discount for the pages you don't read?

There is no other feasable model in which subscription TV can realistically operate. You may just have to deal with it.

 

[ozasismick]

EDIT: ChTeen show the F1 grand prix live on OneHD several hours ahead of their main channel delayed telecast. I wonder how they're able to do this legally, but can't do the same thing for AFL matches?

It's only the Australian F1 grand prix on the Anti-syphon list. The remaining races don't fall under the legislation, so is perfectly legal.

 

[Durham Hawks]

I beg to differ. I don't have Foxtel and have no intentions of getting it until they change their subscription model - so I don't have to pay for 57 channels of complete dross, just so that I can watch the 4 or 5 channels which do interest me.

Under Live vs Free, I have the choice of seeing it live or not seeing it at all. I'll take a delayed telecast over paying for unwanted dross, any day of the week.

i say the viewer should be given the option to pay for the opportunity to watch it live.

if paying for 50 channels because you want 1 event live is the price, that's fine, at least the viewer has the option.

right now, there is no way as a victorian i can watch live friday night footy. there is no amount of money i can pay for that privilege. i would at least like the opportunity.

in the internet era, delayed sport is worthless.

 

[mcuzzy]

I only watch Richmond games now, that's only if theyre live on TV or I go to the game.
I've given up on 7 and 10.

 

[hawker5]

Forgive me if I am wrong but don't FTA stations get first dibs on most sporting events anyway?

Yes they do but they dont have to telecast the events they have selected live which is the gripe of many.

The rules should be if it is a FTA event which can not be telecasted into a specific region live then it should be available to Pay TV. Foxtel are fighting for events such as Formula 1 at this time because 10 refuse to telecast it live on their "normal"s station.

Both the current and past governments agree with Foxtels stance however the FTA networks are saying that because they have 4 digital channels that the single channel restrictions should no longer be applied and that the arguement of Foxtels should be void. However what happens when 2 events clash - will they still run the "least" important on delay. I think that the FTA have been given too much and it is about time that they are forced to deliver and if they cant then it is off loaded so it can be shown live on Pay TV

 

[weevil]

It's only the Australian F1 grand prix on the Anti-syphon list. The remaining races don't fall under the legislation, so is perfectly legal.

Yes that is the point. When the legislation changes there will be bucket loads more live sport on FTA.

 

[mattys123]

Oh well, there goes watching whole sporting events on Australian TV.

At the moment there is only one FTA channel that guarantees showing an even from start to finish, and that's ONE HD.

This is another case of the Australian government falling further behind the world when it comes to media and TV rights.

Sad day for Australian sports fans if this legislation is pushed through, means a tiny little more sport on FTA, and one hell of a lot less on pay tv.

 

[Vader]

When you buy a newspaper, do you stand there at the counter removing the pages that don't interest you and demanding that you get a discount for the pages you don't read?

There is no other feasable model in which subscription TV can realistically operate. You may just have to deal with it.

But when I buy a newspaper I generally read a large percentage of it - I read the local & world news, plus the sport & entertainment sections and the comics. I also have the option of not buying the paper every day - unless I choose to enter into a contract to have it delivered daily. If it has something of interest, then I'll buy a copy, otherwise I usually don't bother.

When it comes to Foxtel, they literally have just 4 or 5 channels of any interest to me at all - yet I am forced to pay for 50+ and I am contractually bound to pay for them for a period of at least a year. I'm paying for the service, whether it is wanted or not.

At the end of the day though, you're right. Foxtel will continue forcing their dross down the throats of the public and the likelihood of them coming up with a decent subscription model/package is remote in the extreme.

Hopefully, the AFL will get smarter with their next round of TV rights negotiations. They're talking about selling the games off by time-slots, rather than the winner-takes-all-and-divide-it-up-how-you-like model they've used in previous contracts. Hopefully they will include terms clauses forcing the stations to show the game live or close to it (less than 1 hour delay). The networks should be able to use their secondary channels to ensure that more games are shown on FTA than in recent agreements. That's my hope - however forlorn it might be.

It's only the Australian F1 grand prix on the Anti-syphon list. The remaining races don't fall under the legislation, so is perfectly legal.

That would do it!

 

[weevil]

Oh well, there goes watching whole sporting events on Australian TV.

At the moment there is only one FTA channel that guarantees showing an even from start to finish, and that's ONE HD.

This is another case of the Australian government falling further behind the world when it comes to media and TV rights.

Sad day for Australian sports fans if this legislation is pushed through, means a tiny little more sport on FTA, and one hell of a lot less on pay tv.

No you have gotten this completely the wrong way round.

This will allow FTA to show way more live and complete sport. It will allow many more sports on One and the other stations HD channels.

 

[Vader]

Oh well, there goes watching whole sporting events on Australian TV.

At the moment there is only one FTA channel that guarantees showing an even from start to finish, and that's ONE HD.

This is another case of the Australian government falling further behind the world when it comes to media and TV rights.

Sad day for Australian sports fans if this legislation is pushed through, means a tiny little more sport on FTA, and one hell of a lot less on pay tv.

We don't really know what is under consideration. I would be VERY surprised if the anti-siphoning list were expanded in any way.

The legislation review is about bringing the laws into alignment with the digital age, noting that they were originally written before digital TV became widespread. Yes, they're currently out of date - but they shouldn't be once they have been fixed.

By opening up the rules, allowing the FTA networks to show the sport on their secondary channels, it should allow us to see more sport (hopefully live) on FTA. How is having more sport shown live on FTA a downside? I doubt it will have little, if any impact on what is shown on pay tv.

 

[Crazy Joe Davola]

I beg to differ. I don't have Foxtel and have no intentions of getting it until they change their subscription model - so I don't have to pay for 57 channels of complete dross, just so that I can watch the 4 or 5 channels which do interest me.

Under Live vs Free, I have the choice of seeing it live or not seeing it at all. I'll take a delayed telecast over paying for unwanted dross, any day of the week.

If you want to pay $1200-$1500 for install then maybe they will let you have 5 channels at $20 a month but otherwise it isn't cost effective for them. Pretty simple to understand.

It's people like you that cause us to have to watch everything on stupid delay, coz you will accept it.

I'd prefer live and i don't mind forking out a few bucks too see it. If someone is too poor to afford it, get a better job, or a part time one, or start a business part time etc etc.

Plenty of other things people can't afford in this world that they don't whinge about and live football is not a god given right.

 

[amer]

Terrible news. Free to air stations have shown themselves to be incompetent when it comes to showing sport as it should be shown.

 

[Hollow Knight]

If you want to pay $1200-$1500 for install then maybe they will let you have 5 channels at $20 a month but otherwise it isn't cost effective for them. Pretty simple to understand.

It's people like you that cause us to have to watch everything on stupid delay, coz you will accept it.

I'd prefer live and i don't mind forking out a few bucks too see it. If someone is too poor to afford it, get a better job, or a part time one, or start a business part time etc etc.

Plenty of other things people can't afford in this world that they don't whinge about and live football is not a god given right.

This.

GenY is far too used to getting everything for free. I have a mate that said it was a "disgrace" that he couldn't find a movie he wanted for free on Demonoid. LMAO.

 

[weevil]

I'd prefer live and i don't mind forking out a few bucks too see it. If someone is too poor to afford it, get a better job, or a part time one, or start a business part time etc etc.

Got a great job thanks mate, live in the middle of the city and Fox can not provide the service to me.

 

[weevil]

Terrible news. Free to air stations have shown themselves to be incompetent when it comes to showing sport as it should be shown.

As One is already showing they will be much better at it when they aren't forced to show everything on a single channel.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Got a great job thanks mate, live in the middle of the city and Fox can not provide the service to me.

Oh, well we better all watch on delay for your sake.

Time to move Weevs!