A decree is now in effect which will ensure that important events are shown on all free to air channels by the three television broadcasters.
Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the Television Cross Carriage of Designated Events Decree has come in place because a television broadcaster may currently have the rights to a particular event which will not allow everyone to watch it.
Sayed-Khaiyum said the events they have deemed as Designated Events are the General Elections, National Budget Address, Parliamentary Proceedings, State funerals, Rugby World Cup 7s and 15s, Rugby League World Cup, IRB 7s Series, FIFA World Cup, Netball World Cup, Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, South Pacific Games, Mini South Pacific Games and the Coca Cola Games.
He said some other events may be added to the list.
According to Sayed-Khaiyum, the three television broadcasters, Fiji TV, Mai TV and FBC TV will now buy the rights of designated events as a country and pay for the viewing rights based on their viewership.
Sayed-Khaiyum said if a television company already has an existing right, the decree states that the company needs to submit what is the cost of the rights.
He added then the other companies will pay a portion of the cost to be able to show the particular event.
Any free to air TV licensee including any Director or CEO who contravenes the section in the decree relating to the obligation to broadcast all designated events commits an offence and shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $500,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or both.
Fiji Television Limited has welcomed the decree.
Nouzab Fareed, the CEO of Fijian Holdings Limited which is the majority shareholder of Fiji TV said, they were expecting this as it was discussed several months ago.
Fareed said it’s good for a small country like Fiji to have this as the companies and the viewers are in a win-win situation.
Meanwhile, Mai TV’s General Manager Marc Santos said they are currently going through the Television Cross Carriage of Designated Events Decree.
Santos said they will have some feedback for the Attorney General’s Office by next week.
Mai TV currently has exclusive rights of the FIFA World Cup.
Story by: Filipe Naikaso
