Crocmedia will become the "newest player in the cricket media landscape" as Cricket Australia finalizes its radio rights deal, according to Ben Horne of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. Crocmedia, the ABC and Macquarie Radio are set to buy rights to broadcast during the coming summer, with CA to "potentially make an announcement by the end of the week." It is anticipated that the Big Bash League could be broadcast by Crocmedia and Macquarie as a joint venture, an arrangement "currently in place between the networks" for aspects of their Australian Football League and National Rugby League coverage. However, in regard to test cricket, the two networks "would be competitors working in opposition." CA's negotiations "suffered a blow" a fortnight ago when Triple M pulled out of talks despite Southern Cross Austereo "putting together a successful product over recent summers." Having three networks covering the summer will "only increase the influx of commentary jobs currently on the open market" after Fox Sports and Channel Seven both took over the TV rights (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 5/21).
