Btv ordered to stop AFCON broadcasts?

MQONDISI DUBE
Staff Writer | Wednesday January 13, 2010 00:00

Btv transmitted live the opening match between Angola and Mali as well as the second match between Malawi and Algeria but failed to broadcast the Ivory Coast/Burkina Faso encounter on Tuesday.

Reliable sources said Btv had been told to stop transmitting the matches during the Malawi and Algeria game on Tuesday afternoon.

It is said rights holders, Sports Five, had expressed concern that Btv, with satellite footprints into South Africa, was illegally broadcasting the event. Some broadcasters in the continent were reportedly turned away by the asking price of US$5million for the rights to broadcast the games. Contacted for comment, Btv's public relations unit requested written questions to be responded to today (Wednesday).

Late last year, Btv general manager, Molefhe Sejoe had said the national station was interested in broadcasting the games.

At the time, he could not be drawn into commenting on the high costs of the broadcasting rights.

Local fans who have free-to-air South African channels are also disappointed that they only watch delayed matches. Only those who have subscribed to MultiChoice's premium bouquet are able to watch the matches live.

Most soccer fans across Africa are incensed that a European television network, Sports Five, holds the rights to air the African tournament. The prohibitive costs have scared away most cash-strapped broadcasters in Africa leaving fans in the lurch. Some African fans have made their disappointment known in a number of online sports publications.

South Africa's public broadcaster, SABC was forced to fork out R367million for the rights after Sports Five had initially asked for R1billion, a figure which is too exorbitant for most broadcasters in the continent.