He recalls that the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union, for example. Considered on 12 December 2012 that the States of the European Union. Have the right to ban the broadcasting of the World Cup and Euro football on pay channels. And to demand their retransmission on television with free access. Although its opinion is not binding. It is nevertheless follow by the Court, in the vast majority of cases. It lies down, in fact, that, when these competitions are consider. By the Member States as events of major importance for their society. They have the right, in so doing to guarantee access to them to a wide audience.
He therefore wonders about the advisability of keeping in mind the need to allow significant access to sporting events. Which fall within the pre-establish definition when establishing the decree which gives the list of events. Which broadcast on channel accessible free of charge. And which cover at least 85% of French territory.
The problem concerns football, but not only.
Formula 1 has thus gone to “all-payment”; in rugby, the Top 14 is now broadcast by Canal. The major tennis tournaments US Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open – are also broadcast by pay channels. As well as all top-level basketball and the essentials of handball.
Unfortunately, this is a French peculiarity. While free-to-air channels – public service or not – are put off by the inflation of sports rights, they have not been in other European countries. For Formula 1, for example, in Great Britain and Italy, pay packages broadcast the Grands Prix. However, each has made an agreement, respectively with the BBC and RAI, for these two public channels to broadcast nine races live and the others delayed.
This French trend towards the scarcity of free sport on television effectively excludes viewers with reduced financial means. It is not certain, moreover, that the sponsors of major sporting events will manage for very long if they can no longer reach as wide an audience as before. This trend also contributes to the marginalization of sports that should not be. Thus, to date, only 7% of sports broadcast concern women’s sport. And 95% of this is broadcast only on pay channels. It is desirable that public television regain control in order to avoid such marginalization, which is unacceptable.
Admittedly, there is a 2004 decree listing the twenty
One sporting events of major importance which must be broadcast unencrypt. But it is currently insufficient and its terms remain too imprecise.
I would also remind you that the Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union, for example, considered on December 12, 2012 that the States of the Union have the right to ban the 무료스포츠중계 of the World Cup and of the Euro football on pay channels and to demand their retransmission on television with free access.
Madam Minister, there is therefore a form of social divide in terms of television sports broadcasts. What measures do you envisage to guarantee the widest public access to competitions which are events of major importance for our society?
As you point out, the decree of 22 December 2004 provides for a list of twenty-one events of major importance for French society. Which broadcast by television channels conditions. Which guarantee that the greatest number access. The Olympics, the FIFA World Cup final and the Tour de France are on this list. It is this system that very recently enabled France Televisions to broadcast the final of the European Basketball Championship, even though Canal+ held the exclusive broadcasting rights.
As it stands, the text
Again you are right – does not take sufficient account of the exposure of women’s sport. Also, to respond to this problem, the Minister for Sports. The Minister for Women’s Rights and me has initiated the modification of the decree of December 22, 2004. It is thus propose to extend the current list of major sporting events major in women’s competitions such as. For example, the matches of the French women’s football team. The draft text has been submit for opinion to the Higher Audiovisual Council, the CSA. And it will be notify to the European Commission, in accordance with the procedure establish by the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
Your question also expresses the concern to allow as many viewers as possible to access major sporting events. In fact, increased competition on the pay-tv market is leading the channels to acquire exclusive broadcasting rights in order to stand out from their competitors. Which is unfortunately being to the diatreme of the broadcasting of certain very large popular events on free channels.
Exposure of sport on television in general has increased dramatically over the past ten years, but, unfortunately, it has declined on free-to-air television. To deal with this new phenomenon, the Minister of Sports. And I have decided to initiate, in conjunction with the CSA. A consultation before the end of 2013 on the balance of sports broadcasting between the channels free and paid. We still have to determine the exact form, but I can already tell you that we want this consultation to involve all the broadcasters and organizers of sporting events. I hope that parliamentarians, including you, senator, will take part in this reflection.
For the Government, this is a matter of major concern. We are therefore working on changing the regulations to allow access for as many of our fellow citizens as possible to the broadcasting of sporting events.
