Ten, Seven under pressure for digital games
Article from: The Courier-Mail
Andrew Hamilton
September 19, 2008 12:00am
FREE-to-air TV networks Ten and Seven are facing Federal Government pressure to show AFL football live on their multiple digital channels.
It would mean football would be broadcast on one of the network's digital channels concurrently with whatever program appeared on the regular channel.
It is understood about 40 per cent of Australian homes have access to digital multi-channels.
Ten and Seven's coverage of the 2008 AFL finals has been blasted by irate footy fans who feel dudded by the networks' decision to delay by an hour the broadcast of games into Queensland.
Both Seven and Ten have run the Friday night and Saturday night finals on delay and the Government has suggested opening up one of the multiple digital channels to show the games live.
A Ten spokesman yesterday confirmed tonight's broadcast of the preliminary final showdown between the Hawks and St Kilda would run at 8.30pm, after a re-run of children's movie Stuart Little.
The spokesman said the decision was made because of programming commitments.
Julie Flynn, CEO of industry body Free TV Australia, said the broadcast times were a matter between the networks and the AFL.
Flynn defended the network's rights to broadcast rights ahead of pay TV providers, but said she saw merit in the Government's push to have the games shown on extra digital channels so fans did not have to endure delays.
"Digital multi-channels are an alternative," she said.
