Comments on: Call to close anti-siphoning’s “loophole”

By: mt

mt — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:55:24 +0000

Good idea. Keep more sport on FTA. Why? So we can have a repeat of Seven’s farcical coverage of “live” 2008 Olympics? So we can have 1 hour delays in Rugby League World Cup matches so that Nine can maximise revenue? So that Nine can cut to the news late on Day 5 of a cricket Test Match hanging in the balance? So that the ABC can go to the news with a Netball test precariously placed? Yep. We definitely need to keep more sports on FTA so that they can maximise revenue while cutting sports fans short. The closest thing to decent FTA sports coverage we have had all year has been Seven’s coverage of V8 Supercars, Nine’s live Friday Night rugby league and SBS’s outstanding (barring MacGill’s performance) Ashes coverage.

By: James

James — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:24:38 +0000

@ johnjet

Having 55% of Australian content – made up of only drama, comedy, soap and lifestyle shows would bankrupt every FTA Network in Aust.

By: mark zanker

mark zanker — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:51:22 +0000

There is no such thing as free to air. There are two companies who heavily advertise on tv and rip people off at the counter, fuel stations and who have bought out a lot of the pubs in australia. So we are all paying for our television. And i refuse to pay even more to “pay tv”.

By: johnjet

johnjet — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:22:01 +0000

Not suprised the Foxtel bashers are still complaining about having to pay.

If FTA is serious about closing any loopholes it should be the loophole that counts sports or news as Aussie content. The requirements for Aussie content should apply to all their channels and be counted only for drama, comedy, soap and lifestyle shows.

By: Baggygreen

Baggygreen — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:02:23 +0000

@BM-Dog you’re kidding yourself if you think you can even go close to watching decent sport on fta today.
@daque makes a fair point. Why cant I buy Fox Sports without shelling out $88. Govt concessions to pay should include a better delivery model.

And surely the issue of fta multi channel is moot with switch over happenning in the next 5 years – get rid of this stupid restriction.

By: daqua_99

daqua_99 — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:33:53 +0000

Keep the list as it is, but let the free networks play the matches on their digital channels. Digital will be mandatory in 2013, why not get the ball rolling … sports on digital channels will only increase the uptake of digital TV …. ASTRA won’t like that though because then people will get more channels for free and make paying for television even more pointless.

Why should we have to pay $88 a month just to watch sport? The only way I’d ever support giving pay-TV exclusive rights to major sporting events is it they made it mandatory that their sports channels could be purchased separately and not in an $88 package with all the other garbage we probably will never watch …

By: James

James — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:05:28 +0000

While visiting New Zealand last year, there is some argument for Free to Air to broadcast some of the top sports. Sky TV broadcast all the rugby matches and only one Super 14 match was played on fta and on delay per week.

The problem however is that FTA do not treat sports like they should. Say what you will about Pay TV, they have over 5 channels exclusively for sports and show them live and uninterrupted. FTA splits games between delayed, live and not at all. To simply give them free reign over the market is not in anyone interests but the networks themselves.

The argument with the Ashes was hypocrisy at its worst. Foxtel I recall bought the rights because Nine or the other FTA channels didn’t want it. There was no interest. Then the series was expected to be a humdinger and the FTA channels cry to the government its unfair.

The Olympics was another example of one channel not being able to fully cover an event of that magnitude and keep the majority happy. Time for FTA to compete with Pay TV if they want to buy sports rights.

By: barrett

barrett — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:50:18 +0000

Said it before and will say it again….let the marketplace rule.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:47:19 +0000

Haha just read A Sportsfan’s submission…Gold.

By: damo

damo — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:36:12 +0000

@michael. stop trying fool everyone into thinking you hate seeing sport on tv

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:28:45 +0000

There is way to much sport on tv as it is, dont let them use their second sd channels.

By: Reubot

Reubot — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:56:28 +0000

Why is the channel providers bidding a loophole? Neither Free TV Australia or Freeview bid for sports…

By: Ooh Me Plums!

Ooh Me Plums! — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:43:30 +0000

“It says those decisions should be based on whether networks have consistently shown the event live or within one hour of commencement, and nationally.”

^ This x1000. It’s complete crap that Seven delay Friday night football for hours in Melbourne, Adelaide and especially Perth for rubbish like Johanna Griggs doing things to roast chickens.

By: John by the sea

John by the sea — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:41:10 +0000

I don’t know why the government doesn’t keep their gigantic nose out of it.They have enough to stuff up without worrying about sport on TV.In the big scheme of things I could careless who pays the most and gets the rights.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:26:44 +0000

Good to see a few people seeing how ASTRA’s 1300 events line is abosultely stupid, they include a ton of matches in grand slam that can’t even be telecasted plus the fact they can’t show 2 matches at once because of the silly anti-siphoning list rule, ASTRA’s line is compltetly false.

If they why the anti-siphoning laws to be scrapped then why in hell can’t the FTA broadcasters show it on their digital channels. Can’t we just stop this selfish bull**** and focus on getting the best coverage we can to all channels. That includes both Pay and FTA.

By: Zambora

Zambora — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:50:18 +0000

The question is “can we trust the FTA networks with anything they do.
Delayed RL in melbourne (after midnight) delayed AFK in Brisbane (after Midnight)
Amount of sneaky ads/promos, is that 10 secs or 30 seconds an ad or just a clever little promo…
Would be nice if we had governing body with some muscle