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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Australia committee backs media in dispute with sport groups
Source: Agencies |
May 14, 2009, Thursday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
LEGITIMATE journalists and photographers should be allowed to cover sports events regardless of whether their work appears in newspapers or on the Internet, an Australian senate committee on online rights said today.
The committee also recommended that the Australian government make no changes to copyright law to define how media organizations use photographs and articles they create by covering a sports event.
The findings appear to favor media organizations in key parts of their dispute with some sports bodies, including Cricket Australia, about the way photographs and news reports are used by media online.
Some sports organizations are using terms and conditions of accreditation for media access to impose tighter controls, arguing that material, including images from games becomes their commercial property.
Media groups, including The Associated Press, argue the restrictions contribute to sanitizing coverage and deny the public proper access to news and information.
The dispute resulted in the AP and other international major media organizations not covering the South African cricket team's tour of Australia during the 2008-2009 summer because they would not accept the restrictions imposed under the terms and conditions of accreditation.
"The committee recommends that stakeholders negotiate media access to sporting events based on the principle that all bona fide journalists, including photojournalists and news agencies, should be able to access sporting events regardless of their technological platform," the eight-member committee said in its report.
If negotiation does not work, the government should consider writing an industry code under the Trade Practices Act, which would bind the two sides.
The committee also recommended that "parliament should not amend copyright law ... unless future specific case law outcomes appear to warrant it."
Some sports bodies told the committee the government should update to the Copyright Act's so-called "fair dealing" provisions to limit the use media groups can make of images and articles that come from specific sports events.
The committee also recommended that the Australian government make no changes to copyright law to define how media organizations use photographs and articles they create by covering a sports event.
The findings appear to favor media organizations in key parts of their dispute with some sports bodies, including Cricket Australia, about the way photographs and news reports are used by media online.
Some sports organizations are using terms and conditions of accreditation for media access to impose tighter controls, arguing that material, including images from games becomes their commercial property.
Media groups, including The Associated Press, argue the restrictions contribute to sanitizing coverage and deny the public proper access to news and information.
The dispute resulted in the AP and other international major media organizations not covering the South African cricket team's tour of Australia during the 2008-2009 summer because they would not accept the restrictions imposed under the terms and conditions of accreditation.
"The committee recommends that stakeholders negotiate media access to sporting events based on the principle that all bona fide journalists, including photojournalists and news agencies, should be able to access sporting events regardless of their technological platform," the eight-member committee said in its report.
If negotiation does not work, the government should consider writing an industry code under the Trade Practices Act, which would bind the two sides.
The committee also recommended that "parliament should not amend copyright law ... unless future specific case law outcomes appear to warrant it."
Some sports bodies told the committee the government should update to the Copyright Act's so-called "fair dealing" provisions to limit the use media groups can make of images and articles that come from specific sports events.
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