The battle for the exclusive European broadcast rights to
the 2000-2008 Olympics "could lead to litigation under European
law." Reports have the European Broadcasting Union, which
represents public broadcasters, negotiating a long-term deal with
the IOC at the same time a Rupert Murdoch-backed consortium bid
$2B for the five Games. News Corp. and "its partners feared they
would be shut out of Olympic television rights well into the next
century." The WASHINGTON TIMES reports the Murdoch group has
"been given legal advice that a long-term deal between the IOC
and the EBU could be challenged under European competition law."
The EBU operates as a trade union, and the other long-term deals
(with NBC and the Seven Network in Australia) were both with
commercial enterprises (WASHINGTON TIMES, 1/21).
UTAH'S HIGH: Salt Lake organizers will gain more than $2M
more than they budgeted for the rights to televise the 2002
Winter Games in Australia, which were sold the Seven Network Ltd.
last week. News Corp. owns close to 15% of Seven Network Ltd
(Lisa Rouch, DESERET NEWS, 1/20).
STILL TALKING ON NAGANO: The IOC and representatives for
Japanese TV have held a third round of talks on broadcasting
rights for the '98 Games without agreement. Both sides will meet
again in February and one source from the Japanese groups said
"there is still a gap in the amount of money involved." Sources
close to the talks say the IOC has asked for $80M for the rights
to the '98 Games. Japan is the only "major" country without a TV
deal with the IOC for Nagano (KYODO NEWS SERVICE, 1/20).
