The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) on Monday voiced its support for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to hold the rights to broadcast Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches.
”We totally oppose any attempts by the PSL to negotiate deals with e.tv and especially with Supersport, which caters only for a small minority audience with access to satellite TV.
”Such an arrangement would deprive millions of access to TV and radio coverage,” Cosatu national spokesperson Patrick Craven said.
The SABC was involved in a court battle with the PSL last week in order to stop the PSL from selling broadcast rights to other television broadcasters.
The PSL argued that the rights to broadcast the matches go to the highest bidder. Supersport and e.tv are bidding for the rights. The PSL’s contract with the SABC ends in May.
Cosatu welcomed the Johannesburg High Court decision to interdict the PSL from negotiating a new contract with other parties to broadcast soccer matches in the 2007/08 season, and to stop negotiating with any third party while still negotiating the terms of the new contract with the SABC.
Soccer is the number-one national sport, Craven said. It is supported by millions of mainly poor and working-class South Africans, and the public broadcaster has the responsibility to provide those millions with coverage both on radio and television.
”We urge the SABC and PSL to resume negotiations and to draw up an equitable new contract, which will extend the current, R500-million contract between the two parties,” Craven said. — Sapa