MultiChoice, eMedia, SABC get warning from Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture

[Daniel Puchert]

DStv warning

South Africa's Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has issued a "friendly warning" to MultiChoice, eMedia, and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) over their sports broadcasting rights feud.

During a recent media briefing, McKenzie said he would leverage previously unused legislation to settle the feud and enable all South Africans to watch their national teams.

 

[R13...]

Does the gangster understand that the rights have to be paid for? You can't have one person paying for them and the next one demand them below cost because "national interest".

 

[ToxicBunny]

Ok cool Gayton... which legislation are you going to use to make things different? and are you prepared for the legal fight that is coming due to the volumes of money involved in this stuff?

 

[BBSA]

Does the gangster understand that the rights have to be paid for? You can't have one person paying for them and the next one demand them below cost because "national interest".

I'm actually with the gangster, Multichoice paid exorbitant prices for exclusive rights to maintain their monopoly. Somethings have to change.

Maybe the broadcasting rights should not be that expensive...

 

[Fuzzbox]

Free market economy.
Sport rights are for sale to the highest bidder.
SABC doesnt have 2c to rub together.
That leaves Multichoice.

Case closed.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

This is going to be interesting.

 

[STORMERSFAN]

This will get tied up in the courts for years to come lol

 

[KleinBoontjie]

pay for : Right to broadcast vs the right to exclusively broadcast

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

The Right Honarable Minister, is telling DSTV to stop behaving like a School Yard Bully, where national teams are concerned.

 

[R13...]

The Right Honarable Minister, is telling DSTV to stop behaving like a School Yard Bully, where national teams are concerned.

DSTV is the government's fault who allowed them to establish such a dominant position. Ditto MTN and Vodacon

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

This will get tied up in the courts for years to come lol

A techincally insolvent DSTV has lots of money to waste ...

 

[r00igev@@r]

Didn't know that a half brick was legislation.

 

[KleinBoontjie]

Free market economy.
Sport rights are for sale to the highest bidder.
SABC doesnt have 2c to rub together.
That leaves Multichoice.

Case closed.

This is BS, should be a set price and the channels that want to broadcast it, must pay that price? No bidding.
EDIT: Also, I would say this would be more "Free market" compared to what it is now, granting a monopoly. Giving the consumer the freedom of choice of where they want to watch rugby, or what broadcaster to use.

 

[zulucat]

This is exactly what you get for hiring an armed robbery criminal as a Minister. What did they think was going to happen? The man is a loose canon; plays to the gallery too much - can not see beyond his nose.

 

[BouncyNinja]

Which of the above broadcasters fund sports development in this country?

If the playing field is leveled, and super sport looses its hold, and its income on sports events, i have a sneaky suspicion that the sport development , sponsorships, etc will dry up as well

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

Which of the above broadcasters fund sports development in this country?

If the playing field is leveled, and super sport looses its hold, and its income on sports events, i have a sneaky suspicion that the sport development , sponsorships, etc will dry up as well

They will likely dry up anyway, DSTV no longer has a heathy positive cash flow.

 

[BBSA]

Which of the above broadcasters fund sports development in this country?

If the playing field is leveled, and super sport looses its hold, and its income on sports events, i have a sneaky suspicion that the sport development , sponsorships, etc will dry up as well

So you say a Monopoly is a good thing?

Numerous organisations are likely interested in sponsoring sports development. Additionally, the more people who watch various sports, the better it is for both the sports and their sponsors.

 

[BouncyNinja]

They will likely dry up anyway, DSTV no longer has a heathy positive cash flow.

I think supersport is all that's keeping them alive at the moment

 

[porchrat]

I'm actually with the gangster, Multichoice paid exorbitant prices for exclusive rights to maintain their monopoly. Somethings have to change.

Maybe the broadcasting rights should not be that expensive...

I'm not saying that a monopoly is a good thing, but these broadcasting rights are being purchased. They're agreed to by the various sporting bodies and the funds go into the coffers of those sporting bodies (presumably to go back into the sports).

If the SABC gets these broadcasting rights for peanuts that will be the last time Multichoice makes these fat contributions to get those rights. A chunk of funding disappears.

It's more complicated than just maintaining Multichoice's monopoly.

 

[BouncyNinja]

So you say a Monopoly is a good thing?

Numerous organisations are likely interested in sponsoring sports development. Additionally, the more people who watch various sports, the better it is for both the sports and their sponsors.

Not saying a monopoly is a good thing, Im asking, who of the other broadcasters have stepped up in terms of sponsorships? Which of them put money up in terms of sponsorships and sports development?