MILLIONS of Australians are being denied full coverage of sporting events because of growing curbs on media access, according to major news organisations.
Leading news groups have told a Senate committee that attempts by major sporting bodies to restrict the use of sports pictures and text on websites and other digital media is threatening their ability to cover sport as news.But sporting bodies argue for the need to limit the news media's use of pictures and other content from sporting events because the extended rights to such content are a principal money earner for them.They say much of the funding from broadcasting and digital content rights is pushed back into sports for development at the grassroots level.A total of 36 submissions have been made to the inquiry into the reporting of sports news and emergence of digital media by the Senate committee on environment, communications and the arts.Rights holders of major sporting events such as Tennis Australia, the Australian Football League (AFL), the International Rugby Board and Cricket Australia (CA), have clashed with news media groups several times since 2006 over access and the right to cover news.News Limited journalists and photographers were controversially locked out by CA of the first day of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand in 2007 after the two failed to agree on coverage terms.Fairfax Media said in its submission to the inquiry that its journalists had been restricted in how they could report football, cricket, tennis and rugby after drawn-out negotiations granting their reporters access to events.Australia's national news agency, Australian Associated Press (AAP), has asked the committee to recommend legislation guaranteeing the right of news media organisations access to cover major sporting events.Fairfax said that journalists from AAP and other news agencies had been excluded from covering cricket and Australian rules football because of "unacceptable'' limits on their journalistic activities."AAP reporting and photography are the lifeblood of news for regional and rural newspapers across the country,'' Fairfax said in its submission."Millions of Australians are being prevented from receiving full AAP coverage of major sporting events."When photographs of sport events are privatised, all forms of journalism are vulnerable to such restrictions.''While neither News Ltd nor Fairfax was in favour of a law change, both, as well as AAP, preferred negotiation as a way of resolving differences.But AAP says that in its own experience it is often forced to negotiate media accreditations "under duress''."AAP believes that the most effective way to protect the public interest in receiving news about sporting and related events is to have a legislated provision for right of access for news media,'' AAP says in its submission.The AFL also argues for legislative changes, but via amendments to the Copyright A, to bring in a series of restrictions on what audio-visual, photographic and audio content can be used by media organisations on digital platforms."To avoid protracted disputes with media organisations and to ensure a minimum standard of protection across digital sports news reporting in Australia, AFL believes that the best means of introducing these restrictions is by way of amendments to the Copyright Act or a mandatory industry code,'' it said.Likewise, CA wants the fair use exceptions under the Copyright Act to be given greater clarity and definition to accommodate the expansion from traditional to digital mediums.Alternatively CA wants the establishment of a code of conduct that provides guidelines for the duration, frequency, volume, context, archiving and dissemination of news content that also allow sports organisations to benefit from their copyright.The Senate inquiry will hold public hearings in Canberra on Wednesday and in Sydney on Thursday.There will also be a public hearing in Melbourne on April 29 before the committee reports to the Senate on May 14.AAP
Footage from the Queensland Roar v Central Coast Mariners A-League football semi final taken by a Wikinews contributor.
Major media outlets have told an Australian senate committee on environment, communications and the arts that Australians are being denied full coverage of sporting events.

They have told the inquiry that major sporting organisations are restricting how photos and text can be used on the internet and other digital media, which is threatening the reporting of sport as news.

Sporting organisations have hit back saying that such online content is a big money earner for them. They say that the money earned from those rights gets invested in grassroots programs.

Australian Associated Press asked the committee to recommend legislation guaranteeing the right of news media cover major sporting events.

"AAP reporting and photography are the lifeblood of news for regional and rural newspapers across the country," Fairfax Media, publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and a number of regional papers, said in its submission. "Millions of Australians are being prevented from receiving full AAP coverage of major sporting events. When photographs of sport events are privatised, all forms of journalism are vulnerable to such restrictions."

"AAP believes that the most effective way to protect the public interest in receiving news about sporting and related events is to have a legislated provision for right of access for news media," AAP's submission says.

The Australian Football League, in its submission, also argued for legislative amendments, but to the Copyright Act. Their recommendations would see the use of audio-visual, photographic and audio media restricted in the digital domain.

"To avoid protracted disputes with media organisations and to ensure a minimum standard of protection across digital sports news reporting in Australia, AFL believes that the best means of introducing these restrictions is by way of amendments to the Copyright Act or a mandatory industry code," the AFL's submission said.

'''''Wikinews''''' asked the AFL, Football Federation Australia and the Sunshine Coast Daily for comment. The AFL refused to comment until after their submission was formally made to the committee.