ZA Cricket

eMedia to Skip T20 World Cup Broadcast Due to MultiChoice’s Constrained Bidding Time Frame

In a recent statement, eMedia announced that it will not broadcast the upcoming T20 World Cup in June, citing an inadequate bidding time frame provided by MultiChoice. MultiChoice, which holds exclusive rights to the World Cup, only opened a tender for free-to-air broadcasters to bid for sub-licensing rights five weeks before the tournament’s commencement.

eMedia highlighted that bidders are “unlikely” to secure broadcasting rights confirmation until less than two weeks before the event, a timeline that leaves insufficient room to secure sponsors, arrange advertising, and adjust programming schedules.

Due to this expedited process, eMedia refrained from submitting a bid. The broadcaster criticized MultiChoice for violating the Electronic Communications Act and the Sports Broadcasting Regulations, which require prompt notification to free-to-air broadcasters.

“eMedia views the issuing of these late invitations to tender by MultiChoice as undermining fair competition and ignoring a recent Competition Tribunal order designed to prevent such restrictive practices,” the broadcaster stated. “This behaviour is not only unfair to E-tv’s dedicated viewers but also detrimental to the South African broadcasting industry as a whole.”

This incident is not the first time eMedia has contested MultiChoice’s handling of sports broadcasting rights. Last year, a last-minute deal between MultiChoice and the SABC allowed the public broadcaster to show key matches from the Rugby and Cricket World Cup tournaments, including all matches featuring the Springboks and Proteas, as well as the semi-finals and finals. However, these deals explicitly prevented the SABC from airing matches on any channels carried by eMedia’s Openview.

eMedia argued that these restrictions were anti-competitive and initiated legal action against MultiChoice. The Competition Tribunal recently granted eMedia an interdict compelling MultiChoice to permit the SABC to broadcast live sports sub-licensed from SuperSport on Openview.

The ongoing dispute highlights significant tensions within the South African broadcasting landscape, particularly regarding access to major sporting events. As the T20 World Cup approaches, viewers may find themselves caught in the crossfire of these broadcasting battles.