AMENDMENTS TO THE ANTI-SIPHONING SCHEME

7 April 2004
41/04

The Australian Government today reaffirmed its commitment to the anti-siphoning scheme with an updated list of sporting events.

The anti-siphoning scheme protects the access of Australian viewers to events of national importance and cultural significance on free-to-air television by giving priority to free-to-air television broadcasters in acquiring the broadcast rights of those events.

Less than one in four households in Australia currently has access to pay television, reinforcing the need for the anti-siphoning scheme to ensure that as many viewers as possible are able to access these events on free-to-air television.

The current anti-siphoning list is 10 years old and the Government announced some time ago that a review of the list would be appropriate to ensure its ongoing relevance.

Following extensive consultations, the Government has updated the anti-siphoning list to better reflect the attitudes of Australians and the commercial realities of the sporting and broadcasting sectors. The new list will apply from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010.

Nationally significant sporting events will remain on the list, with events such as the Olympic and Commonwealth Games now included to ensure that these important events continue to be available to viewers on free-to-air television.

Many of the events to be removed from the list have received little or no free-to-air coverage despite their listing. Their removal may increase the total television coverage they receive by extending the potential access to them by pay television operators.

The automatic de-listing period for programs not picked up by free-to-air broadcasters will also be extended from six to 12 weeks.

The automatic de-listing of an event on the anti-siphoning list six weeks before it occurs has proved to be insufficient time for pay television operators to acquire the rights, as well as finalise schedules, negotiate advertising contracts and promote the event.

The Government will retain the ability to defer the automatic de-listing if it is considered that free-to-air broadcasters have not had a reasonable opportunity to acquire the relevant rights.

And we will continue to monitor the free-to-air television coverage of events on the anti-siphoning list to gauge whether the coverage they receive is consistent with their national significance and place on the list.

The new anti-siphoning list is attached.


Media Contact: Carina Tan-Van Baren (02) 6277 7480 or 0439 425 373

REVISED ANTI-SIPHONING LIST

(COVERING EVENTS TAKING PLACE BETWEEN 1 JANUARY 2006 AND 31 DECEMBER 2010)

SPORT	LISTED EVENT
Horse Racing	Melbourne Cup.
AFL	Each match in the AFL Premiership. Each match in the AFL finals.
Rugby League	Each match in the National Rugby League (NRL) Premiership. Each match in the NRL finals. Each NRL state-of-origin match. Each test match involving Australia whether played in Australia or overseas.
Rugby Union	Each test match involving Australia whether played in Australia or overseas. Each match in the Rugby World Cup.
Cricket	Each test match involving Australia, played in Australia or the UK. Each one-day international involving Australia played in Australia, the UK or any series where at least one of the matches is played in Australia. Each World Cup one-day cricket match.
Soccer	The English FA Cup final. Each match of the FIFA World Cup 2006.
Tennis	Australian Open and Wimbledon: each match. The French Open and US Open: each singles quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals match. Each Davis Cup tie involving Australia.
Netball	Each international netball match involving the senior Australian representative team whether played in Australia or overseas.
Golf	Each round of the Australian Masters. Each round of the Australian Open. Each round of the US Masters. Each round of the British Open.
Motor Sports	Each race held in the FIA Formula 1 Grand Prix held in Australia. Each race in the Moto GP held in Australia (formerly known as the FIM World 500cc). Each race in the Australian Touring Car Championship. Each Bathurst 1000 race. Each race in the Australian IndyCar Grand Prix.
Olympic Games	The Olympic Games
Commonwealth Games	The Commonwealth Games.