Sport on television: A review of the anti-siphoning scheme in the contemporary digital environment Review report November 2010
Introduction
On 20 August 2009, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, released a public discussion paper—Sport on Television: A review of the anti-siphoning scheme in the contemporary digital environment.
The discussion paper sought public comment on a range of matters relevant to the operation and effectiveness of the anti-siphoning scheme, including the purpose of the scheme, the composition of the anti-siphoning list, coverage of listed events, the use of digital television multi-channels and sport on new media platforms.
The submission period closed on 16 October 2009. A total of 337 submissions were received from a variety of stakeholders and interested parties, including the free-to-air television industry, pay television industry, sporting organisations, government agencies and members of the public. All publishable submissions are available on the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy website at www.dbcde.gov.au
Legislation
The Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (‘the Act’) required the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to cause to be conducted a review of the following aspects of the anti-siphoning scheme:
- the operation of the anti-siphoning scheme and whether it should be amended or repealed
- the operation of the licence condition on pay television operators restricting access to anti-siphoning listed events (listed events) and whether it should be amended or repealed and
- the operation of the restrictions on commercial television broadcasters in relation to listed events on standard definition and high definition multi-channels and whether these should be amended or repealed.
