Creative
19-01-01, 08:25 PM
The situation with Middle East broadcast rights to Euro 2000 are very
complicated. Orbit - ESPN and virtually all other regional broadcasters are
members of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU). Because Euro 2000 is
such an important event, ASBU asked all of its members not to negotiate
directly with the rights holders and allow the Union to acquire the Middle
East rights for all members to benefit all who live in the Middle East.
Orbit - ESPN and every other Arab broadcaster signed an agreement in this
regard.
However, ART, who also signed the ASBU petition, showed complete disrespect
for all Arabs' and non-Arabs' living in the Arab world, whose right it is to
watch Euro 2000, by breaking the solidarity of Arab broadcasters and entered
into direct negotiations and reached an agreement with the rights holders.
This was in violation of the ASBU agreement and the good faith all other
broadcasters displayed.
As a result of ART's unethical business practices, measures have been taken
to suspend their membership in ASBU and litigation will soon be filed in
Tunisia because of damages other broadcasters have suffered because of ART's
insistence that any viewer who wants to watch Euro 2000 has to pay both to
get an ART decoder and a separate fee to watch the games. We condemn this
behavior as short sighted and shameful to all who have the right to see
these games.
As a result, no Middle East broadcasters are showing the matches even though
terrestrial broadcasters have been approached by ART to purchase the rights
for their country. Hardly can Orbit or the other broadcasters be faulted for
a unified approach in the attempt to hold costs down and ensure those
viewers who do not want to pay for satellite television still have the
ability to view. Individual greed is still the biggest obstacle to the voice
of reason.
complicated. Orbit - ESPN and virtually all other regional broadcasters are
members of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU). Because Euro 2000 is
such an important event, ASBU asked all of its members not to negotiate
directly with the rights holders and allow the Union to acquire the Middle
East rights for all members to benefit all who live in the Middle East.
Orbit - ESPN and every other Arab broadcaster signed an agreement in this
regard.
However, ART, who also signed the ASBU petition, showed complete disrespect
for all Arabs' and non-Arabs' living in the Arab world, whose right it is to
watch Euro 2000, by breaking the solidarity of Arab broadcasters and entered
into direct negotiations and reached an agreement with the rights holders.
This was in violation of the ASBU agreement and the good faith all other
broadcasters displayed.
As a result of ART's unethical business practices, measures have been taken
to suspend their membership in ASBU and litigation will soon be filed in
Tunisia because of damages other broadcasters have suffered because of ART's
insistence that any viewer who wants to watch Euro 2000 has to pay both to
get an ART decoder and a separate fee to watch the games. We condemn this
behavior as short sighted and shameful to all who have the right to see
these games.
As a result, no Middle East broadcasters are showing the matches even though
terrestrial broadcasters have been approached by ART to purchase the rights
for their country. Hardly can Orbit or the other broadcasters be faulted for
a unified approach in the attempt to hold costs down and ensure those
viewers who do not want to pay for satellite television still have the
ability to view. Individual greed is still the biggest obstacle to the voice
of reason.