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**Chris** · 03-12-2008, 17:53

Section 98 of the Broadcasting Act 1996 effectively defines FTA terrestrial broadcasters as any BBC service, Channel 4 and ITV1. That can be amended by ministerial Order but I've not yet discovered one, if indeed one has ever been made. So if the Olympics vanish off the BBC they don't look to be going very far.

But even if they did go to Sky3, the Olympics are still a Category A event, so Sky are not permitted to show any of it exclusive to one of their pay channels. So long as everything is available, isn't that all that really matters?

If I were you, I'd be more worried about the fact that the Commonwealth Games is only a Cat.B event, so could in theory have its live rights swallowed up by Sky before the games get to Glasgow in 2014.

In any case, the thrust of the article is the IOC's shift away from dealing with the European Broadcasting Union when awarding rights. The IOC obviously thinks it can make more dosh by negotiating with national broadcasters separately.

And I doubt whether Sky has the kind of money to outbid the BBC for rights that it couldn't recoup by forcing people to view events on a subscription or pay-per-view basis.

03-12-2008, 17:53	#5
Chris Trollsplatter Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: North of Watford Services: Humane elimination of all common Internet pests Posts: 38,141	Re: BBC facing battle to keep Olympic Games. Section 98 of the Broadcasting Act 1996 effectively defines FTA terrestrial broadcasters as any BBC service, Channel 4 and ITV1. That can be amended by ministerial Order but I've not yet discovered one, if indeed one has ever been made. So if the Olympics vanish off the BBC they don't look to be going very far. But even if they did go to Sky3, the Olympics are still a Category A event, so Sky are not permitted to show any of it exclusive to one of their pay channels. So long as everything is available, isn't that all that really matters? If I were you, I'd be more worried about the fact that the Commonwealth Games is only a Cat.B event, so could in theory have its live rights swallowed up by Sky before the games get to Glasgow in 2014. In any case, the thrust of the article is the IOC's shift away from dealing with the European Broadcasting Union when awarding rights. The IOC obviously thinks it can make more dosh by negotiating with national broadcasters separately. And I doubt whether Sky has the kind of money to outbid the BBC for rights that it couldn't recoup by forcing people to view events on a subscription or pay-per-view basis.