The Australian federal government has given pay-TV company Foxtel a A$30M ($23.9M) handout to "boost its sports broadcasting," according to Amanda Meade of the London GUARDIAN. But the government declined to explain why the News Corp.-owned company was "singled out for the largesse -- or exactly how or where the money will be used." In the May budget, Foxtel was gifted A$30M over four years to "support the broadcast of underrepresented sports" on subscription TV, including women’s sports, niche sports and sports with a "high level of community involvement and participation." But there has been "no further explanation from either Foxtel or the government" about how the subscription broadcaster will use the funds over the next two years. A freedom of information request about the unusual budget deal "came up with no answers." The Department of Communications & Arts said that there were "no documents associated with the grant." Australian Communications Minister Mitch Fifield also "declined to explain the deal" on Wednesday, except to say that it was "part of the media reform package" (GUARDIAN, 7/19).
