save my sport - latest information
26 March 2008 - It was never in doubt, but Australians have once again proved their love of sport on free-to-air with increases recorded in the television ratings for sports broadcasts. In 2008, viewing of sport is up more than three per cent compared to the same period last year. For more details, read on .
25 April 2007 - The latest Australian Media and Communications Authority (ACMA) report on the use of sporting rights held by Free TV broadcasters demonstrates that there is no hoarding of rights. Click here for a copy of the media release.
26 March 2007 – SPORT IS BACK IN 2007!
After an exciting summer of cricket and tennis, footy is returning to Free TV screens marking a whole new season of nail-biting sporting contests. Two rounds of NRL have already been played with AFL due to commence this Friday. And the much-anticipated swimming program of the 12th FINA World Championships kicked off yesterday. In fact, the huge line up of sporting events over the weekend saw Free TV broadcasters hit more than 600 hours of sports programming delivered so far in 2007 and we’re only just getting started! Click here to see what sports events are still to come in 2007, what dates they’re on and which channels you’ll find coverage on.
20 December 2006 - The Federal government’s ‘use it or lose it’ guidelines for sports on the anti-siphoning list have failed to provide certainty for viewers. Free TV CEO, Julie Flynn, said “it is disappointing that the new guidelines do nothing to reassure Australian sports fans that in the future they will not be forced to pay for sports they currently see for free.” Click here for a copy of the media release.
‘Use it or lose it’ guidelines released for anti-siphoning sport
Click here for a copy of Senator the Hon Helen Coonan's media release.
Free To Air Sport at Risk Under Coonan Plan
Click here for a copy of Senator Stephen Conroy's media release.
save my sport - campaign
Last year Australian sports fans watched over 1648 hours of sport on free TV.
Events like the Melbourne Cup, AFL and NRL competitions, Bledisloe Cup, Australian Open Tennis, Wimbledon and V8 Supercars were just some of the sports that brought Australia together like nothing else.
Australian sports fans take for granted that they will always be able to see their favourite sporting events on free-to-air television.
But that right is under threat as never before.
Pay TV want exclusive, live rights to sporting events so Australians have to pay to watch sport just as they do in the UK and New Zealand.
And last week three of the major football sporting bodies joined with them in what amounted to a “gang tackle” on viewers’ rights to see the best games for free.
If they win – Australian viewers will be the big losers.
The focus of the attack is the antisiphoning list - a list of major sporting events the Government established to ensure they could not be bought exclusively by pay TV and that all Australians would have the chance to watch them free of charge.
We think that sport on free TV is too good to lose. And we urge you to let your local Member of Parliament know that you do too! Please follow the links on this site to find out more about the sports that are at risk and what you can do to help save them.