Is access to content really the new bottleneck: or should we be content about content?

Paterson, Paul

doi:10.7790/tja.v62i3.341

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“…In addition there is ample evidence that on the whole, the current arrangements for sports content rights and market share will become further entrenched with perhaps even greater concentration around exclusive rights deals between major sports organisations and the commercial FTA networks, and subscription television services offered primarily through Fox Sports via Foxtel. In the context of Foxtel's recent merger with Austar, Chairman of the ACCC Rod Sims, for instance, has voiced his organisation's 'ongoing disquiet' about the entrenched signing of exclusive rights in the broadcasting and online delivery of live sports (Paterson 2012). Where regulation of sports media content has been achieved primarily through 'anti-syphoning' laws managed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), regulatory focus would be better placed with the ACCC, in its role in maintaining diversity and competition among FTA networks, Foxtel (and Telstra) and ISPs vying for a share of the content delivery market.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The future of sports delivery in Australia: NBN multicast, IPTV and the role of the ISPs

McCosker¹,

Dodd²

2013

ajTDE

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Where lucrative media rights deals for sports content currently lie primarily with pay TV and free to air (FTA) broadcasters, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) entering the content delivery market through partners such as Fetch TV may be better placed to compete for distribution rights to sporting and other live events. In response to this shifting environment this paper outlines the technological capacities of NBN-based multicast Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), and examines public comment and interview data from ISPs, sports organisations and NBN Co. regarding their intentions for IPTV delivery. This paper begins with the assumption that diversity in these emerging media forms remains important as ISPs enter the media content market. We demonstrate, however, that despite the emergence of NBN-based technologies, diversity in sports content distribution cannot be assumed. The paper points toward the important role that regulators, such as the ACCC, have in maintaining diversity and competition in IPTV services. IntroductionThe design and rollout of a comprehensive fibre optic National Broadband Network (NBN) across Australia has initiated a great deal of discussion regarding innovation in both media technology and content provision.Recent developments in the testing and pricing of wholesale multicast services by NBN Co.poses the possibility that, amongst other changes to Australia's media landscape, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will have greater potential to deliver high definition IPTV services over the NBN. This raises the tantalising, or threatening, possibility of transformations to the distribution of premium, desirable televisual content such as sport. For sport media, where lucrative exclusive media rights deals, along with resulting sponsorship and advertising, currently lie with free to air (FTA) and subscription television, one possible outcome is that ISPs would be better placed to compete for web based and managed IPTV rights to sporting and other live events. Multicast technology made available through the NBN renders this scenario more likely. For instance, Landry Fevre, the general manager of media at NBN Co., predicts future negotiations for the rights to broadcast major Australian sports will feature AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND THE DIGITAL ECONOMY, VOLUME 1 NUMBER 1, NOVEMBER There are some important qualifications to be made here. Firstly, Australia is by no means leading the way internationally with the proposed FTTP broadband network. Secondly, a great deal hangs on the survival of the FTTP model beyond 2013, where incumbent media interests and the newly elected Coalition policy favour a lower-speed fibre to the node (FTTN) NBN that restricts IPTV capacity. In addition there is ample evidence that on the whole, the current arrangements for sports content rights and market share will become further entrenched with perhaps even greater concentration around exclusive rights deals between major sports organisations and the commercial FTA networks, and subscription Spo...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%