The bill to amend the Television Act has been passed by parliament today and this means that people who livestream sporting events online for commercial gain need to get a licence.
Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says livestreaming is fine if a person is doing it for another person to watch a rugby match but is not doing it for commercial gain.
According to the new law, no person may broadcast through online streaming a live sports event for commercial gain if they do not have a licence. The terms and conditions are to be determined by the Minister responsible for television.
The act states that in granting a license the Minister may require the licensee to pay a premium for the issue of the licence or an annual fee, rent or royalty as the Minister may determine.
Any person who livestreams a sports event without a licence for commercial gain is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both.
Sayed-Khaiyum says this will also protect sporting organisations, it will not undervalue the events over which they have rights and proprietary rights in terms of the viewing.
Leader of the Opposition, Sitiveni Rabuka says it is a straight-forward bill and they will not oppose it however he raised the question on how this will be policed.
Rabuka says they would also raise their regret that the participation of the provinces in the television industry in Fiji has now disappeared when they were involved in the original arrangement with Fiji Television, TVNZ with Yasana Holdings.
He says that has been replaced by the interest of Fijian Holdings or anything like that.
Rabuka says that is the memory of the past and he does not know how that has evolved over time.
Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji TV is still owned by Fijian Holdings as the majority shareholder and they are listed on the stock exchange.
He also says people who livestream an entire game will be undervaluing the rights of that game, and it is hard to police.
The Attorney General says there was one person who went to the Solicitor General’s Office and wanted to sell livestream boxes for $200. He was then questioned whether he had the copyright to show all the programmes.
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