Majority of issues in rugby media dispute resolved
12/09/2007 |
 |
 |
At last, the dispute between rugby union and the Press Freedom Coalition, which includes AIPS, has been resolved.
A majority of the contentious issues which provoked last week’s agencies’ boycott of Rugby World Cup events had been dealt with shortly before France and Argentina kicked off the opening match on Friday.
Those issues included IRB attempts to dictate page layout design and bypass picture copyrights. The issue of audio-visual restrictions remained outstanding and was finally settled in talks in Paris at the start of this week.
The PFC compromise now permits news agencies reporters to file an unlimited number of news stories each day using audio-visual footage albeit with a limit of five minutes of footage from any single event. The original three-minute per day aggregate limit has been scrapped.
This deal covers footage from non-matchday press conferences, training sessions and other events.
A joint statement from the PFC and Rugby World Cup Limited said: “This voluntary agreement will enable full news coverage of Rugby World Cup 2007 according to normal editorial judgment."
The PFC remains unhappy that the audio-visual footage compromise only applies to news agencies and believes newspaper reporters should enjoy the freedom to undertake video-blogs etc from accredited RWC events. However it accepted that – this time at least – that posed particular logistical problems for the World Cup organisers.
Both sides accept that the 2007 compromise thrashed out over the last two weeks does not represent a precedent for other Rugby World Cups or for other sporting events.
AIPS was represented on the Coalition and in negotiations by Keir Radnedge on behalf of president Gianni Merlo. Merlo said that even though some issues for the written press needed to be resolved he was pleased that the majority of contentious restrictions imposed by the IRB were no longer standing in the way of the media's right to do its job.
"This campaign serves as a warning to all sports federations and organisations who seek to impose unfair restrictions on the right of the media to do a fair and honest job that is unencumbered by impositions on the freedom of speech and expression," he said.
"AIPS is willing to work together with the federations and stakeholders to find a solution which is best for all parties concerned".
(Source: AIPS)
|
| Back |
|
|
|
|
 |
