The debacle over Rugby World Cup coverage shows sometimes governments must intervene.
That requires better than a Prime Minister belatedly and brutally getting involved to restore order to the chaos of two state agencies competing against each other.
The RWC fiasco is not in isolation but is another example of the problems created by the Government’s refusal to have any policies and rules for broadcasting. A month ago, TVNZ announced it was negotiating with Sky to pass on the broadcast rights to next year’s Commonwealth Games. Free-to-air coverage will be limited to Sky subsidiary Prime. Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman was relaxed. He said the days of free-to-air television covering major sporting events were over.
Key’s supposed concern about Maori Television’s bid was that it would not give full coverage. So where was the concern about Prime becoming the vehicle for free-to-air coverage of the Commonwealth Games? Prime’s household penetration is less than Maori Television’s.
Until last week, the Government’s broadcasting policy has been not to intervene; it rejected a review of competition issues, stating there were no competition issues posed by Sky’s growing dominance (driven by sports coverage.)
The outcome is more than just bruising to the reputations of Dr Coleman and other Ministers. It shows if you want viable free-to-air options for major sporting events into the future, there has to be some consideration of creating a playing field which allows for competition by free to air channels.
The alternative is to kiss goodbye to watching athletes and sports people wearing a Silver Fern on their chest and competing for our nation – unless you can pay for that privilege.
No state money should have gone into the war between the two channels over RWC
I’m also disgusted about Coleman’s comment about the days of free-to-air television covering major sporting events being over. 
Not fair to the poor people!
The problem here is not the lack of government, it’s the involvement of government.
First, it owns a channel that would compete for the bid. Second, it funds another channel that competes for the bid. Third, it acts as an intermediary to broker the deal.
The way forward is for government to butt out. Watching Rugby isn’t a right that people have. I hate the game. It bores me to death. Anyway, you can go to Justin Tv and watch it all for free. I don’t have Sky as I refuse to pay someone so I can sit on my arse and get fat. I am quite capable of doing that for free.
http://www.justin.tv/directory/sports
is the answer in the future.
I’ve noticed that whenever Coleman speaks about his own TV watching he stresses how he doesn’t watch live TV (so relies on his recorded programmes – on his MYSKY box – and he buys TV shows by the DVD boxed set).
Coleman is one of the elite – the vast majority of households don’t have MYSKY boxes and can’t afford them nor can they buy boxed sets of DVDs. But clearly Coleman’s broadcasting policy is based on his viewership, not the ordinary person’s viewership.
This is why he doesn’t care about free to air TV coverage of sports. It’s not his problem. And he thinks we should all just pony up for a SKY subscription and shut up. Typical of this government – they assume money can solve everything.
Coleman is no doubt also hoping to push people to get SKY to more quickly ’solve’ the digital TV migration – once that hits a certain point National can claim they succeeded in moving people to digital and will turn off analogue.
One only needs to look at Coleman’s own viewing habits to see what colours his broadcasting perspective. He happily boasts that he watches no ads (thanks to recording everying on his MYSKY box) and buys DVD boxed sets of TV shows.
Nice for some. No wonder he doesn’t care about providing sports free to air. Doesn’t affect him.
“The alternative is to kiss goodbye to watching athletes and sports people wearing a Silver Fern on their chest and competing for our nation – unless you can pay for that privilege.” How were we able to fund the olympics? – TVNZ rorting the charter system. How did S’land St get some funding? Promoting Maori culture. Why do you try to score points. We the voters are of little concern bar one day every 3 years. There is no sign on this site of any structural changes or radical reforms. Nat/Lab/Greens/NZ1 etc its just a schoool yard game to you all.
@Gooner – Thanks for giving me this
I will need to read the terms and conditions and to see the internet requirements though.
There will still be people who can’t afford internet who will want to see their games free to air on TV.
I see my mysteriously vanishing first post actually appeared…
Gooner – broadband uptake and speeds in New Zealand still lag behind much of the industrialised world – and will continue to do so – our geography makes it difficult to deliver cost effective, high speed broadband in comparison to, say, South Korea or Singapore. I wouldn’t put too much stock in the internet saving free sports coverage for the majority of Kiwis just yet.
Over at the Standard a few days ago, there was a time line and analysis of the shifting stories and conflicting statements by ministers and the PM around this issue.
Not a good look.
Coleman seems to have realized in the last few days that he is now playing in the big leagues, and casual ‘economies with the truth’ can be exposed very quickly.
The onus remains with the govt to explain how they managed to screw the Maori Party AGAIN, yet Sharples and Turia keep smiling. Maybe someone should ask them?
Meantime it is a masterpiece of politics.
So 4 NZ TV networks broadcasting the inevitable Wallaby vs Sprinboks final with about 5 peole watching it.
I am so over the Rugby World cup and we are still 2 years out
Brendon, which government was it that set up MTS to directly compete with TVNZ? Bit rich to slam them when they do, don’t you think?
Jennifer, the rationale in setting up MTS was not to directly compete with TVNZ. If it was, MTS wd be much more focussed on advertising and revenue. I’m not slamming MTS – good on them for the initiative in seeking RWC rights; do think the process of getting funds from Maori Development Ministry could have been better but that gaffe is v minor compared to the fiasco of the govt funding a rival TVNZ bid, then withdrawing, then having MTS “lead” coverage, with TVNZ also showing opening ceremony and game.
Tigger, good analysis here, believe Coleman wd be very pleased to rapidly reach point that no-one has free-to-air