Save my sport petition

[am Bays]

As someone who has had pay TV I would hate to see the current restrictions loosened much further. Eg I would hate to see more than 4 games per week of AFL and no international cricket from Australia siphoned off to PAYTV as examples.

Some of us can afford it but for those from the lowest soci-economic spectrum need to be able to watch it too. All kids need to be enspired to emualte their hero's in the back yard. If it is significantly resticted to PAYTV our great sports are restricting potential new participants from taking up their sports. Also sports need to broaden their marketing appeal, what is the point of restricting your self to only 30% of the population. (I think that is the current %age of homes that have PAYTV.)

i would hate to see the situation in Australia like it is in England where to watch any major live sport ( international cricket and soccer) you have to have PAYTV.

Like you Peter it used to sh!t me off no end that free-to-air sport wouldn't telecast the ASHES tests in full. However I think for the greater good of the games I love they need to be shown on free to air if not in their entirety certainly the majority of games.

[mal]

1980 TASSIE Good points, love to discuss them, but gotta watch the
rest of the Bangladesh/West indies cricket game.

[bayman]

i dont know about the flintstones but little bayman loves the woody woodpecker show allup into the wacky races
this is from little bayman,
while on the wacky races how come professor patpending is allowed to change the shape of his car & dick darstardly gets dq'd when he does the same thing ?

[am Bays]

1980 TASSIE Good points, love to discuss them, but gotta watch the
rest of the Bangladesh/West indies cricket game.

Its finished mate, what was the final score...or is it end of the 1st innings?

Oop, hold the discussion, I want to watch Ceylon smash Rhodesia again....

[another grub]

I backed Tasmania yesterday uin the cricket..... please hit me with a brick!

[PhilG]

..

[TroyGFC]

We are delighted that over 20,000 viewers took the time to submit their comments. We have passed your comments on to your local member of parliament. This strong public support made a real difference in the fight to keep significant sporting events free for all viewers to watch. Now that the rules have been released we are committed to keep you informed.

Thank you again for your support and we wish you and your family a merry and safe Christmas.

Kind regards

Julie Flynn

On behalf of Free TV Australia

http://www.savemysport.com.au/





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MEDIA RELEASE

20 December 2006

Sport on Free TV still at risk

The Federal government’s ‘use it or lose it’ guidelines for sports on the anti-siphoning list have failed to provide certainty for viewers.

Free TV CEO, Julie Flynn, said “it is disappointing that the new guidelines do nothing to reassure Australian sports fans that in the future they will not be forced to pay for sports they currently see for free.”


“While we welcome the Minister’s statement that no one guideline will determine whether an event is retained on the list, we remain concerned that there is a level of uncertainty around how individual guidelines will be applied and what events viewers may soon have to pa y to watch.


“However, Free TV is pleased to see that the Government has recognised the particular requirements of multi-round simultaneous events, such as tennis tournaments and the Commonwealth and Olympic Games by amending the guidelines to take into account the entirety of a broadcaster’s treatment of an event in determining if it has been used.


“We continue to be opposed to any guidelines that result in events currently available to all Australians for free, being removed from the list,” Ms Flynn said.


“For example, the requirement to broadcast events to 50% of the population puts at risk free AFL coverage in states with a smaller population (such as South Australia and Western Australia ) where viewers can currently see games involving their local teams rather than a single national game.


“We also think it important that the guidelines take into account any contractual obligations such as delays against the gate, and consider existing coverage of sporting events on pay television so that events are only de-listed if this will improve audience access.


“International experience demonstrates that there are no second chances. When events are taken off anti-siphoning lists they move exclusively to pa y television. This is precisely what happened in the case of the current Ashes series in England , which can now only be seen by viewers who are pre pa red to pay.


“It should be remembered that 75 per cent of Australians cannot afford or choose not to pa y an average of $90 a month to subscribe to sport on pa y TV. This means that the vast majority of Australians miss out when an event is broadcast exclusively on pay.


“The fact is Free TV broadcasters show all the sporting events to which they acquire rights and all other rights are available to pay TV. We believe any fair application of the guidelines will recognise this,” Ms Flynn said.


More than 53,000 viewers have voted on Free TV’s Save My Sport website (http://www.savemysport.com.au) with more than 50,000 (94%) saying they do not want to pay for major sporting events they currently see for free.


“Free TV has been delighted by the strength of the support we have received from our viewers.”


“We remain committed to delivering them the best televised sports coverage in the world. And we will keep them informed of any major sporting event which is at risk in the future from the application of these guidelines.”


For media enquiries or interviews please contact Free TV Australia on (02) 8968 7100 or Julie Flynn on 0408 455 456.

[Snaggletooth Tiger]

I've had FOXTEL for 10 years & I can't imagine life without it...
However, I hardly watched FOX FOOTY CHANNEL when it did exist because all the matches that mattered
(i.e. AFL's most popular teams Collingwood, Carlton, Crows, Weagles & THE MIGHTY BOMBERS)
were always on the free to air channels...
FOX got the leftovers (No offence Saints, Dogs, Swans, Hawks, Roos supporters etc.)
Thanx to Eddie Everywhere the Pies had a shitloada Friday nite games!
Trouble with channel 9, they never showed Fridays 'Live' unless it was the Crows or Ports!
With Channel 7 back into the mix we're gonna see a hell of a lot of AFL T.V. time devoted to
their favourite club the Sydney Swans, just you wait!
Kinda like when Christopher Skase was always broadcasting Brisbane Bears games @ Cararra back in the late 80's!

...Those without Pay T.V.
There's always that big neon sign that spells 'PUB'