Bush TV peace deal
By Ray Thomas
April 27, 2006
TABCORP has agreed to allow rival race broadcaster ThoroughVisioN to televise Sydney and Victorian gallops meetings on the Austar network - the first major step toward ending the sport's divisive and costly television war.
The breakthrough came late yesterday when
The Daily Telegraph learned Tabcorp managing director Matthew Slatter had informed Minister for Gaming and Racing Grant McBride by letter his organisation was prepared to waive its exclusivity deal with Austar so TVN can broadcast its race meetings on the pay-TV network as soon as tomorrow.
It's a major win for stay-at-home punters in regional areas across NSW and nationwide who have been hardest hit by racing's TV war. TVN subscribers in these areas have been denied access to broadcasts of Sydney and Victorian gallops for nearly 12 months.
Tabcorp-owned Sky Channel has an exclusivity arrangement with Austar that prevents any rival broadcaster from televising racing on the pay-TV network.
McBride last night confirmed Tabcorp has made a "no strings atttached" offer to TVN to broadcast on Austar.
"During meetings held with both parties last month, I suggested this proposal as an act of good faith on behalf of Tabcorp to the country racing community," McBride said.
"After careful consideration, Tabcorp has agreed to put the proposal to TVN, which is a great result for racing fans in the country. This is a commonsense and good-natured decision by Tabcorp to help the grassroots of the industry."
A Sky Channel spokesman last night confirmed its willingness to "relax pay-TV exclusivity arrangements with Austar allowing TVN to broadcast Sydney and Victorian thoroughbred races across regional Australia". TVN, which is owned by the race clubs, has exclusive broadcast rights to all Sydney and Victorian gallops meetings. Sky Channel retains the rights to show every other race meeting across the three codes.
The Tabcorp offer is the first sign of a conciliatory gesture from either warring faction for many months. It should be the catalyst to resolve the broadcast dispute, restoring a wall-to-wall racing coverage on Sky Channel while TVN continues to showcase the major gallops meetings on a separate channel.
The Austar decision, although significant, does not resolve the crucial split picture issue in wagering outlets like hotels and clubs, where more than 40 per cent of wagering turnover is generated.
Since the split vision commenced on May 4 last year, NSW TAB wagering turnover has been reduced by more than $160 million, the biggest downturn in the off-course betting giant's 40-year history. In hotels and clubs, wagering turnover during this period fell by more than $100 million. The wagering downturn is a direct result of punters' dissatisfaction with the split vision.
The Daily Telegraph
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18938145-32343,00.html
