Anti-siphoning list sports in blackout

A REPORT by the media regulator has found deficiencies in the coverage of a number of sports on the anti-siphoning list, noting that one of the four grand slam tennis events was ignored altogether.

A REPORT by the media regulator has found deficiencies in the coverage of a number of sports on the anti-siphoning list, noting that one of the four grand slam tennis events was ignored altogether.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority's report coincides with news that only one-fifth of the matches so far played in this year's cricket World Cup have been screened on free-to-air TV.

The ACMA report released this week, which covers the period March to July 2006, reveals the French Open tennis was not broadcast on any of the free-to-air networks during the period.

ACMA notes that "no rights were acquired to the event by free-to-air broadcasters, nor any coverage of the event provided by free-to-air broadcasters".

This is despite the tournament's presence on the anti-siphoning list, which allows free-to-air networks unchallenged first rights to listed sports broadcasts, regardless of whether they show the sport or not.

Free TV Australia chief Julie Flynn yesterday conceded there was a possibility the French Open would now be removed from the anti-siphoning list.

The ACMA report says other events, such as AFL matches, were broadcast with significant delays. In non-AFL states such as NSW and Queensland, for instance, AFL broadcasts came with an average delay of more than three hours.

Additionally, the NRL's showpiece State of Origin broadcasts were shown on delays in non-rugby league states, in some cases, of more than three hours. NRL premiership games were delayed by even longer in non-NRL states.

Meanwhile, at the cricket World Cup, it has emerged that of the 50 games played so far - including last night's semi-final between Australia and South Africa - only 10 were screened on free-to-air TV.

The pay-TV peak industry body ASTRA has seized on the ACMA findings. Its chief executive Debra Richards has claimed the findings suggest the free-to-airs are "rorting the sports broadcasting laws to hoard sports rights and deny sports fans access to their favourite sports".

Ms Richards called on Communications Minister Helen Coonan to "implement the 'use it or lose it' system she announced last year to put more live sport on television".

But Ms Flynn yesterday defended the performance of free-to-air networks on screening mainstream sports.

"We are confident the broadcasters show the events to which they acquire the rights, and there is no evidence they are hoarding any rights to anti-siphoning listed sports," she said. "This is not about hoarding, it's about all Australians being able to see major sporting events for free, and not having to pay up to $100 a month for the privilege."

Ms Flynn called for more transparency on how pay TV screens sporting events.

"Free TV broadcasters continue to co-operate with ACMA to provide a detailed accounting of their use of listed sports," she said.

"But we remain concerned that without similar accounting for coverage of these events from pay TV, the figures are open to misrepresentation."