Issued by: Chairperson of Portfolio Committee on Communications
PRESS STATEMENT OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS ON THE SPORT BROADCASTING
Recent press reports of an exclusive rugby broadcast rights between NewsCorp and M-NET have caused great consternation in the community and the government. We were happy to be informed by the management of M-NET that such reports are not entirely correct.
It must be understood that sport is an essential element in the viability of any broadcasting enterprise. The exclusive selling forward of popular national sporting events particularly to pay per view stations will have a major deleterious effects on our attempts to introduce new players in the broadcasting industry in South Africa. No doubt some of the free market freaks will argue that the market should be allowed to take its course. The reality though is that this trend is creating a new barrier to entry. It is creating uncompetitive conditions that must not be allowed to take root.
Our preference is that all current and aspirant broadcasters in South Africa should negotiate fair access to all to major national sporting events. In such negotiations the broad principle that all South Africans should have access to major national sports must be borne in mind. Obviously the ability of the pay per view channels to satisfy the needs of its market niche will also have to be borne in mind. We call upon all sports administrators to consider the public and the national interest in above terms when they negotiate television rights. The growth and survival of their sporting codes will depend on their ability to strike a balance between immediate pecuniary gain and the national interest.
Issued by Saki Macozoma, MP PO. Box 15 Cape Town, 8000