Whats the ABC paying for the broadcast of Super League games?
Justin Holdforth: There is no rights fee, and Foxtel deliver the signal to us of each game. Amanda Smith: Right. So there’s no broadcast fee payable; should the ABC then be accepting a hand-out from Rupert Murdoch? Justin Holdforth: Well it’s not a hand-out, you know, we’re not actually paying any rights fees, and we still have to pay certain production costs to actually get the program on air. So it’s not a hand-out at all, and it is a fledgling rugby league competition, there’s no doubt about that, and as such, I don’t see any reason why we should pay a rights fee. Amanda Smith: Well I guess the thing about Super League is that it’s all about a commercial media baron buying up a game for big bucks returns through Pay-TV, and that sits strangely with the ABC as the commercial-free, free-to-air public broadcaster. Is there any anomaly there do you think? Justin Holdforth: No, I don’t think so. I think sport is all about big business and money now, especially elite sport. If you follow
