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NEW DELHI: Rigid News Access Rules of the London Organizing
Committee for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games prevent
news channels from even giving live news breaks of achievements
by Indians.
Thus,
while a channel can make an announcement whenever any Indian
wins a medal, it can get the footage only around three hours
later as the rights lie with Doordarshan and ESPN Star Sports.
In
fact, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) sent the News
Access Rules to all its members late last week, asking them
to exercise caution while covering the Olympics.
Non-rights
holders or channels that are not the official broadcasters
can use a maximum of six minutes of Olympic material per day,
in accordance with the News Access Rules.
Besides,
the six minutes footage cannot appear in more than three news
programmes in a day and its duration cannot exceed two minutes
in any one news programme.
The
rules apply to all forms of broadcasting, television (free-to-air
and pay television, cable, satellite, video on demand, including
digital channels, digital multi-channels and services such
as “news active” or ”sports active”),
radio, Internet, mobile platforms and other interactive or
electronic media.
News
channels that are telecasting Olympic-based programmes - studio
discussions or special features - are not allowed to use words
such as Olympic or London 2012 to brand or position their
shows.
It
is learnt that Hindi channels are using names like ‘London
Mahakumbh’ while some other channels are using terms
like ‘London Dreams’ or ‘India Mange Gold’.
There is no restriction on the use of London 2012 or Olympic
Games in the regular news bulletins.
The
guidelines also prevent television channels from using Olympic
material for these shows. Olympic material includes “sounds
or images of any Olympic event, wherever and whenever broadcast
and however sourced, including sporting action, opening and
closing ceremonies, medal ceremonies or other activities which
occur at Olympic venues,” according to the rules.
Indian
news channels are unhappy with the rules and feel that limited
use of footage and other restrictions as those prescribed
will also hit their commercial revenue around programmes based
on the Games.
NBA
has, in fact, been urged to take up the issue as such access
rules are framed at every major sporting event and affect
the freedom of the news channels to report, sources said.
In
any case, news channels signing up for accreditation to cover
the Games have to accept these rules automatically.
Television
News Access Rules:
1.
Use in News Programs only: The broadcast of Olympic material
may be used only as a part of regularly scheduled daily news
programmes, of which the actual news element constitutes the
main feature. News programmes shall not be positioned or promoted
as Olympic or London 2012 programs and Olympic Material cannot
be used in any promotion for any news programme or any other
programme whatsoever.
2.
Six Minutes Per Day: Non-Rights Holders may use a maximum
of six minutes of Olympic Material per day, in accordance
with all other provisions of these News Access Rules.
3.
Number of news programs, Length and Separation of News Excerpts:
Subject to Clauses 1 and 2 above, Olympic material may be
used in news programmes subject to the following provisions:
a) Olympic material may appear in no more than three news
programmes per day; and
b) No more than two minutes of Olympic material may be used
in any one news programme; and
c) These news programmes must be separated by a period of
at least three (3) hours; and
d) No more than one third of any individual event may be used
in any one news programmes or 30 seconds, whichever is the
lesser time. However, if the duration of an individual Olympic
event is less than 15 seconds, the whole of the event can
be shown in a news programme.
4.
All-News or All Sports Networks: In the case of an All-News
or All Sports Networks, the networks may use a maximum of
six minutes of Olympic material per day during multiple news
programmes, subject to the following provisions:
a) in no more than six news programmes per day and does not
exceed a total of one (1) minute in any one programme. These
bulletins must be separated by a period of at least two hours;
or
b) in accordance with Clause 3 above - i.e. 3x2x3.
5.
Airing after Broadcast by Rights Holders only: Non-Rights
Holders may only broadcast Olympic material within a news
program in accordance with Clauses 1, 2, 3 and 4 above and
all other conditions contained in these News Access Rules,
as follows:
a) As of three hours following the broadcast of an Olympic
event by the local Right Holding Broadcaster on free-to-air
television in that territory;
b) If not broadcast by the local Rights Holding Broadcaster
on free-to-air television in that territory on the day (local
time) during which the Olympic event concluded, then as of
the end of the broadcast day (i.e. 24:00 hours local time);
or
c) Non-Rights Holders can broadcast Olympic material prior
to the times referred to above, or can broadcast more Olympic
material than allowed above, only with the specific written
agreement of the local Rights Holding Broadcaster.
6.
Courtesy Credit/Rights Holder “Bug”: Each Broadcast,
communication or other broadcast of Olympic material in accordance
with these News Access Rules must give an on-screen credit
to the local Rights Holder by leaving on the Rights Holders
watermark for the duration of the clip or, should the Olympic
material not be sourced through the local Rights Holder, by
adding a super video credit to the Rights Holder for the duration
of the clip to read as follows: “Courtesy (Name of Rights
Holder)”
7.
Olympic material must not be Broadcast on interactive services
such as 'News Active' or 'Sports Active', which would allow
the viewer to make a viewing choice within a channel and to
thereby view Olympic material at times other than when broadcast
as part of a news programme as set out in Clause 1 above.
8.
Should any fair dealing or similar provisions contained in
any applicable national law permit the use by Non-Rights Holders
of any footage of previous Olympic Games, then such footage
will be included in the total of six minutes per day.
9.
Olympic Material may only be used for a period of 48 hours
following the completion of the actual event. After such period,
Non-Rights Holders may only transmit archive Olympic material
with the express prior written consent of the express prior
written consent of the IOC.
10.
For the sake of clarity, except as permitted within these
News Access Rules, only Rights Holders are permitted to film
within Olympic Venues and to Broadcast Olympic material. The
broadcast of Olympic material by E Accredited Media, including
Non-Rights Holders, via the Internet, Mobile Platform and
other interactive media or electronic medium, is strictly
prohibited and is a breach of these News Access Rules.
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