New code of conduct ends Australian media row
Media groups and Australian sports bodies signed a code of conduct on
Tuesday aimed at ending years of disputes and boycotts over press
coverage of major sporting events.
The voluntary code, believed to be the first of its kind in the
world, scraps a number of reporting restrictions which sports
administrations had imposed, leaving news agencies unable to cover
cricket and Australian Rules Football matches.
Australia's leading sports bodies and media organisations including
Agence France-Presse (AFP) signed the document, which was backed by the
government and brokered by the country's competition watchdog.
The row centred on restrictions on the use of sports news and images
on the Internet, including attempts to limit the number of updates and
the sites eligible to use sports images, as well as availability on
mobile platforms.
Media that did not agree to the restrictions, which they regarded as
an infringement of press freedom, were unable to cover sports such as
cricket.
"There have been issues between some sporting and media organisations
and several media agencies have been unable to gain access to major
sporting events for the purpose of reporting the news," said
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
"The government was concerned that these breakdowns in communication
would adversely affect the Australian public's traditional access to
news reporting of sporting events."
The code, which all Australian sports bodies will be asked to sign,
ensures media are able to report freely on sports events, and sets up a
committee to resolve future disputes.
Cricket Australia, the Australian Football League (AFL), the
Australian Rugby Union, the National Rugby League and Tennis Australia
are all core signatories, along with AFP, Fairfax Media, News Limited,
Australian Associated Press and Getty Images.
The sports bodies won assurances that media groups would not use
photographs or text taken at events for commercial purposes beyond news
reporting.
Former International Olympic Committee vice president Kevan Gosper,
who was appointed to chair the code's administration committee, said the
signing of the code was a "very good outcome".
"Positions have been properly defined ... in such a way where the
media is able to clearly sustain its freedom to send news and
information and pictures out to the public, and the sporting
organisations recognise this is in their interest.
"There's been a clear definition of what is commercial (use) and what
is news," he told the AAP news agency.
The News Media Coalition, a grouping of the press organisations,
called the code a "welcome and constructive basis" for working with
sports bodies.
"Throughout the deliberations... news organisations have sought to
protect the interests of the public in accessing independent and topical
journalistic coverage, including photography," a coalition statement
said.
"We trust that the code will enable this fundamental function of the
independent news media to continue to operate without the fear of
unnecessary or arbitrary restrictions on their operations."
The dispute, seen as a test case for press freedom in the digital
age, has also arisen elsewhere including in relation to the Indian
Premier League Twenty20 cricket competition.
Cricket Australia welcomed the agreement, which resolves a boycott by
international press agencies ahead of the 2010-2011 home Ashes series
against England. The AFL declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
"Like all codes it seeks to balance the interests of all parties and
we're keen that it do that," said CA spokesman Peter Young.
"What we're really keen on doing is getting on with the business of
staging cricket matches and exciting the Australian public about them,
and we need media coverage to do that." SYDNEY, Wednesday (AFP)
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