Commonwealth Games Chair Peter Beattie will "enter negotiations" with several major media outlets to "avert the potential of any of them deciding to boycott" coverage of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, according to Peter Ryan of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Fairfax Media has "refused to accept proposed restrictions on access and conditions relating to the use of video" that the Gold Coast organizing committee has tried to impose to support broadcast rights holder Channel Seven. News Corp. and the AAP are "yet to sign the terms either." Beattie "committed to resolving the lingering dispute." He said, "We still believe there can be some resolution of these matters. We are determined to do it because we don't want to have boycotts." He added, "We want everyone there. We want to respect Seven's rights but we also want to make sure everyone is there as well. Give us a bit of time and see what we can do." Among a "range of conditions" attached to coverage, there is a "proposal to delay" original reporting from media conferences for half an hour after they take place as well as "restrictions on interviews" in the athletes' village and at competition and training venues. A Fairfax Media spokesperson said, "Australians deserve unrestricted coverage of their government-funded Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. We won't be strong-armed into providing journalism that's anything less than 'Independent. Always.' and we will not agree to the terms and rules currently required for accreditation of journalists at the Games." The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games run from April 4-15, and Beattie said that preparations "remain on time and on budget" (SMH, 10/28).
