RTÉ can invoke legislation to protect coverage

OLYMPIC GAMES TELEVISION RIGHTS:  RTÉ MIGHT be forced to invoke legislation which makes selected sporting events available on free-to-air terrestrial television in order to protect their coverage of the Olympic Games from 2014 and beyond.

This follows the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to reject the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) bid for the European broadcast rights for the next available package of the Olympics, 2014-2016, and look instead at selling the rights on a more individual broadcasting basis.

The EBU has handled the European rights to the Olympics since the Melbourne Games in 1956, and has already secured the rights to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the next summer Olympics in London, 2012. After that, however, things look set to change, as the IOC seek the highest possible price for the 2014 Winter Games (in Sochi, Russia) and the 2016 Summer Games (at a venue to be decided).

While the IOC maintain their intention is to secure the widest possible TV audience, as agreed in their charter, the EBU have effectively accused them of selling out, or at least setting the price too high. In a statement, EBU president Fritz Pleitgen outlined the reasons why their bid failed, and why it was now essentially an open market for the 2014-2016 package.

"We very much regret the decision of the IOC," he said. "We have worked with the IOC since 1956 to deliver the Olympic Games to the broadest possible audience, and ensured maximum exposure of the Olympic Games, and also Olympic Sports between the Games.

"We note there are different views about the future monetary broadcast value of the Games. EBU members were surprised by the high financial expectations of the IOC. We regret that, it seems, little account is taken of the additional high level of investment by the EBU in rights for, and the production and quality editorial coverage of, World, European and National Championships, across many Olympic Sports."

Up to now the EBU has bid collectively for Olympic rights and then sold them on to broadcasters across the continent, including the BBC, RTÉ, and most other of their 75 active members and 45 associate members. If, as it now appears, the IOC is deciding to go alone, or sell the rights through another agency, then at least any Irish broadcast rights must comply with the 2003 legislation which lists selected sporting events to ensure they are available on free-to-air terrestrial television.

As well as the Olympics, this list includes the All-Ireland senior football and hurling finals, Ireland's games in the Six Nations Rugby, and in the Rugby World Cup, Ireland's home and away qualifying soccer games and final tournaments of the European Championship and World Cup, the Irish Derby and Grand National horse races, and the Nations Cup at the Dublin Horse Show.

For now RTÉ are adopting a "wait and see" attitude as the IOC's exact intention is still largely speculation. RTÉ Head of Sport Glen Killane did state the importance of the Olympics in terms of public service broadcasting, although it does seem the IOC rejection of the EBU bid represents more of a break in tradition than a change in direction.

"RTÉ consider coverage of the Olympic Games to be the very essence of public service broadcasting," he said, "and our coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics was a demonstration of that, with over 1,500 hours of coverage across all of RTÉ's platforms.

"The Games are made available to the widest possible audience in Ireland, and plans are already under way for extensive coverage of the London 2012 Olympics, and RTÉ will pursue the rights with whoever the new rights holders are for 2014 and 2016 and beyond."

Yet the BBC have outlined their fears they may lose their exclusively live coverage of the Olympics after the 2012 games as a result of the EBU rejection, and that the way has now been cleared for rivals such as Sky and ITV. But it's not a new trend, as the IOC decision not to negotiate through the EBU mirrored moves already made by the football governing bodies Fifa and Uefa over the World Cup and European Championship, respectively.

The European rights for the upcoming Olympic package, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012, went for €485 million, a 40 per cent increase on the previous cycle, but dwarfed by the €1.3 billion paid by NBC the for the same deal. Clearly the IOC feel they can get more money for the European rights, most of which goes back into the individual sporting bodies.

Last month it was announced RAI, the Italian state broadcaster which previously acquired Olympic rights through its membership of the EBU, has lost the rights to the 2014 and 2016 Olympics to the News Corporation subsidiary Sky Italia, who have also secured the rights to the 2010-2012 package.

Sky Italia will broadcast across all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television, subscription television, Internet and mobile phone, and commenting on that deal, IOC president Jacques Rogge said, "our aim is to ensure that as many people as possible are able to enjoy the sporting action on all broadcast platforms and we look forward to working closely with SKY Italia to make this possible across Italy for the next four editions of the Olympic Games".

While that, it would seem, is the way forward for Olympic broadcasting, at least RTÉ have the Irish legislation to fall back on.