A row over the televising of next year's World Cup has prompted a call for a review of broadcasting regulations to ensure that more of the public has access to such world-class events.
Critics are concerned that pay-TV operators might edge out public broadcasters and get a monopoly on important and culturally significant events, such as the Olympics, forcing people to either subscribe or lose out.
The disagreement involves pay-TV operator Cable TV, which has acquired the rights to show the 2010 Fifa World Cup, and TVB, a free-to-air broadcaster. TVB says Cable has not shown any intention of negotiating with terrestrial broadcasters on which matches will be aired without charge.
TVB points to a document on the website of Football Media Services, Fifa's sales representative in key Asian territories, which says a licensee must ensure the free-to-air transmission of 22 out of the 64 matches.
These must include any home-team games, opening and final matches, at least two quarter-final matches and both semi-final matches. The draw for the World Cup, to be held in South Africa, is scheduled for December 4.
TVB said it raised the matter in June and met representatives from ATV, the other terrestrial broadcaster, in July. TVB wrote a letter to Cable TV requesting a meeting. 'But we haven't heard anything from them,' said Patrick Li Hon-yuen, TVB's variety and sports department production executive.
Li said Cable TV was required to feed signals of the Winter Olympics to terrestrial stations but had not discussed it with TVB yet, despite repeated inquiries. The 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver in February.
