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Conroy eases anti-siphoning limits for World Cup

The government has temporarily lifted anti-siphoning limits to enable SBS to air the 2010 FIFA World Cup on SBS ONE & TWO. It also confirms 3D matches.

The government has temporarily lifted anti-siphoning limits to enable SBS to screen all 2010 FIFA World Cup live and free-to-air.

Senator Conroy announced the news during an interview with David Basheer on SBS The World Game today.

As a premium sports event SBS had been blocked from screening matches on SBS TWO before they had aired on SBS ONE, but this has now been eased by the government.

SBS Managing Director Shaun Brown said, “We welcome the Minister’s announcement today and acknowledge his personal commitment to ensuring football is given the support it deserves in this country.

“The anti-siphoning list exists to ensure sporting events of national significance are given the best opportunity to be shown live on free-to-air television for the benefit of the Australian public.

“For a long time football was not given the recognition it deserved as a sport much loved by Australians. The long overdue qualification of the Socceroos for the 2006 World Cup awakened enormous public sentiment for football and that support has continued.

Games premiering on SBS TWO will also be repeated later on SBS ONE.

SBS will also be broadcasting the World Cup in high definition on SBS HD and confirms up to 15 matches, including Australia vs Germany on June 14, throughout will be available in 3D on Channel 40. 3D matches will be broadcast live and repeated on a loop until the next 3D match is made available. They will be available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

While the lifting of the anti-siphoning limits will be good news for viewers, other broadcasters are likely to cry foul over the news, given they have been limited in their broadcasting flexibility for sports including AFL, NRL, Australian Open, Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

SBS will also provide coverage online and on SBS Radio from the first match on June 11.

The government is yet to announce any changes to its review of the anti-siphoning list.

Match to be shown live on SBS ONE / Delisted match to be shown on SBS TWO

22/06/10 midnight
Mexico – Uruguay / France – South Africa

23/06/10 4:30am
Greece – Argentina / Nigeria – Korea Republic

23/06/10 midnight
Slovenia – England / USA – Algeria

24/06/10 4:30am
Australia – Serbia / Germany – Ghana

25/06/10 4:30am
Cameroon – Netherlands / Denmark – Japan

24/06/10 midnight
Slovakia – Italy / New Zealand – Paraguay

25/06/10 midnight
Portugal – Brazil / Korea DPR – Cote d’Ivoire

26/06/10 4:30am
Chile – Spain / Switzerland – Honduras

David Knox blogs Eurovision at sbs.com.au

27 Responses

  1. Why don’t they just drop the list altogether then we can have free-market unregulated sport the way it should be.

    That’s the only reason Nine, Seven and Ten wouldn’t be complaining about this – because they wanna have their cake and eat it too.

    I, however, err on the side of the cable company with this – it’s an artificial restraint of trade and you can see how it has produced outcomes which have detrimental (not beneficial) to sports coverage in this country

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