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BEEF

SABC calls on MultiChoice to remove the contractual restriction which stipulates that the Rugby World Cup won't be shown on the SABC channels on OpenView. They've reached an agreement for the broadcast of 16 matches on the SABC but these can't be shown on SABC channels on OpenView. i.e. South Africans are being screwed over yet again as a private company wields ownership of the broadcast rights to a national sport. >>

TVSA Team
08 Sep 2023 12:36

From the SABC's statement:

The SABC can confirm that the Corporation has in principle concluded an agreement with MultiChoice to broadcast all the Springbok games.

A total of 16 games will be broadcasted on the SABC channels. This agreement will unfortunately exclude OVHD (eMedia) platform because of the restrictive conditions that MultiChoice is placing on the sub-licensing agreement for the Free-to-Air rights for the RWC 2023. This condition cuts off approximately 3.2 million South African households.

The SABC regrets this irrational decision by MultiChoice, especially in light of Minister Zizi Kodwa’s emphasis that “rugby plays a critical role in nation building and social cohesion”.

The SABC hopes that in the interest of nation building and social cohesion, MultiChoice will remove this restrictive condition to enable all South Africans to get behind the Boks.

charmed_dude
08 Sep 2023 18:32

So does the SABC have so schedule a second feed for their channels replacing Rugby with someitng else (???) Repeats of repeats for OpenView customers who basically can only watch SABC with anologue being poor and switched off?

TVSA Team
09 Sep 2023 15:01

Hi charmed_dude - good to "see" you.

We've asked the SABC who say:

"The SABC is providing alternative sports content".

Interesting because we didn't think it was possible for channels to deliver different content on different platforms but clearly it is.

Lwethu2
10 Sep 2023 22:06

Yepp, this has been happening for a while now when it comes to PSL games. Those watching a PSL game on SABC 1 via Open View and SABC+ get an old repeat match while the rest who are watching the same SABC 1 on DSTV, DTT and normal areal TV watch tye match of the day.

TVSA Team
11 Sep 2023 17:02

Thanks for the insight Lwethu2 - scary stuff.

It reveals how disempowered the SABC is in these relationships - they're literally at the mercy of DStv and OpenView when the channels are on these platforms.

It's why it's so important that they're on their own digital satellite service and yet the chances of that happening are as likely as Eskom declaring the end of loadshedding.