Government To Review Free-To-Air Sport List

Culture secretary Andy Burnham has revealed that the list of sporting events reserved for free-to-air television is to be reviewed.

Giving the keynote speech at the Royal Television Society conference in London, Burnham said that the list – which was last reviewed 10 years ago when Test match cricket was removed – has to “move with the times”.

Burnham said: “It is because I believe in television’s social role – its power to include and involve – that I continue to believe resolutely in the principle of a protected list of sporting events set by the government.

“But it is also important that this list moves with the times and people’s tastes, ensuring that TV continues to bring the nation together and build community.”

The announcement follows the recent row over the airing of highlights for the England football team’s last two World Cup away qualifying matches (see ITV To Air England Football Highlights).

Setanta aired the highlights of England’s win in Croatia free to air on Setanta Sports 1 after rejecting a late bid from ITV.

However, ITV bought rights to air highlights the next night, with ITV pulling in more viewers than Setanta’s live match.

Burnham’s speech also mentioned government plans to crack down on the internet to even up the regulatory imbalance with television.

He said: “The time has come for perhaps a different approach to the internet. I want to even up that see-saw, even up the regulation [imbalance] between the old and the new.”

RTS: www.rts.org.uk