BBC To Face Increased Competition For U.K. Olympic Rights
The BBC's coverage of the Olympics "could come to an end in 2014" after the IOC "vowed yesterday to tear up the way television rights are sold across Europe," according to Dan Sabbagh of the LONDON TIMES. The BBC represented the U.K. in the bid by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), a federation of public and commercial free-to-air channels, for the 2014 and 2016 Games. Agreements were traditionally struck between the EBU and the IOC, but the IOC rejected the bid and said that "each country would have to negotiate rights individually." The decision comes at a "difficult time for the [BBC] because the number of broadcasters that could compete to show the 'crown jewels' sporting events will increase significantly from 2012." It also could allow a pay channel to "compete for the rights and to transmit the Games free." News Corp.-owned Sky Italia bought the rights to the 2010 Vancouver Games in Italy, but "has to make them available without charge." However, BBC sources said that they were "confident that they could retain the rights in a straight British competition." The BBC has aired every Olympics since the '60 Rome Games (LONDON TIMES, 12/3). An EBU spokesperson said that the organization "would now withdraw from the process, leaving individual broadcasters to go it alone." The spokesperson: "As far as we are concerned the bid has been rejected and so we are out of the game. Our offer was the maximum we could pay" (Manchester GUARDIAN, 12/3). In London, Rod Gilmour notes the EBU "traditionally won the bidding because its 75 members reach the most viewers." Gilmour notes Sky Italia and News Corp.-owned Fox Turkey have acquired the rights to the 2014 and 2016 Games in their respective countries (London TELEGRAPH, 12/3).
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