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Poll shows opinion split on MTS leading bid

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Wed, 04 Nov 2009 8:43a.m.

The IRB is concerned that blanket coverage over several broadcasters would "dilute" the product too much

The IRB is concerned that blanket coverage over several broadcasters would "dilute" the product too much

Opinion is fairly evenly split on Maori Television (MTS) leading the bid for Rugby World Cup free to air matches, a new poll shows.

MTS is leading a joint bid with TVNZ and TV3 in a deal brokered by Prime Minister John Key which averted a bidding war between MTS and TVNZ - both backed by taxpayer funds.

A Herald-Digipoll out today showed 45.2 percent disapproved of MTS leading the bid while 44.1 percent approved.

The New Zealand Herald said it understood Mr Key and Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully met International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Bernard Lapasset while in Tokyo for the Bledisloe Cup.

The newspaper said negotiations between the broadcasters and IRB's commercial agent IMG had hit problems - the IRB was concerned that blanket coverage over several broadcasters would "dilute" the product too much.

Another issue was that the three broadcasters would have different agendas and the IRB has previously rejected joint bids, saying they were anti-competitive.

NZPA
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Comments

04 Nov 2009 03:53p.m.

Andrew wrote:

I agree - it doesn't matter who has the rights. Let's not have our networks bidding against eachother.

So what if it's anti-competitive? Such 'competitive' behaviour will only line the pockets of the IRB and the promoters, so of course they are going to do everything possible to scuttle a joint bid. They have already been doing this for some months.

Don't expect a fast (or cheap) decision any time soon. As an incentive to get this resolved quickly, the bid should be modified such that the price goes down by $1m for every month the IRB delays accepting the bid. What other choices have they got? Exactly who is going to provide the cameras, people and transmission gear if the IRD do not want to work with the locals? The locals have shown they want to work together on this and should be commended.

04 Nov 2009 02:09p.m.

Ricardo wrote:

Its a complete mystery to most of us why any taxpayer funded companies are bidding gainst each other anyway. Come on John, just give them all the same rights (for a small shared 'cost') and stop this ridiculous waste of taxpayer money. Maori TV, TV1, TV2....its all ours anyway.