Australian sports get busy with copyright special pleading
Chewing on the government's ear
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Australia’s sports administrators, usually busy trying to steal each others’ audiences, have discovered the spirit of cooperation in the face of the Optus TV Now Federal Court decision.
The prime minister has confirmed that the Australian Rugby League, Australian Football League, Cricket Australia, Tennis Australia, and the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports have lobbied the government for a change to the Copyright Act.
At issue is the future value of exclusive broadcast rights – particularly sports’ ability to attract carriers willing to pay for mobile distribution – if the TV Now decision stands.
According to ABC radio, the government is seeking "urgent legal advice" regarding whether the legislation should be changed.
Last week, the Federal Court decided that the “cloud PVR”-style service from Optus did not infringe copyright, because the recordings were under the control of individuals, only used for time-shifting, and were not for distribution “to the public”.
Most immediately, the decision puts the value of Telstra’s $AU153 million deal to offer AFL (for non-Australians, “Aussie Rules”) matches over its mobile network in doubt. The ARL believes the decision puts at risk its next round of TV broadcast negotiations, with its current deals due to expire at the end of 2012.
Opposition leader-in-waiting communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull told a press conference today that the government should amend the Copyright Act without waiting for the outcome of the sports codes’ appeal to the High Court.
Readers can watch ARL chief David Gallup’s interview with Peter Wilkins of the ABC’s Grandstand program here. ®
COMMENTS
urgent legal advice
Is that a way to say "Bulging Envelope"?
This is just like how the world was going to end when they didn't ban the VCR.
I'm at a bit of a loss
Why exactly should the entertainment/sports industry have its business model specially protected? I'd like one of these sinecures too please, I'll pay the appropriate bribes/donations to political parties/put them on boards after they've been kicked out etc.
It explains why we have such a low perception of corruption in Australia, it's institutionalised.
re: Followed to it's logical conclusion (part2)
Yep.
Horrors! You might have to go and read a book!
I tried going without TV. After around 3 weeks you barely think about it. More sleep, more sex, less "Look who's got no Talent."
It's fun to watch or listen to the odd bit of trash every now and then, but that doesn't mean the world wouldn't be better off without it. Let's see how popular these things *really* are by asking people to pay to watch them.
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