Deal sealed for free-to-air TV sports

Free-to-air television channels will be able to screen major sporting events on their digital multi-channels for the first time under new broadcasting rules.

From January 2011, the anti-siphoning list will be divided into two categories.

In the tier A category, commercial networks would have to screen on their main channel blockbuster events like the Melbourne Cup, test cricket, the AFL and NRL grand finals, the Australian Open finals and the Bathurst 1000.

Under the tier B rule, television networks will be able to screen summer and winter Olympic events and the Commonwealth Games on any of their channels.

The anti-siphoning regime has been expanded to include Twenty20 cricket matches involving Australia that are played in Australia and FIFA World Cup qualifiers played by the Socceroos.

But the list of AFL and NRL games has been trimmed.

Under the changes, the Seven and Ten Networks would have to show only four out of eight premiership matches.

Presently, these four games are screened exclusively on pay TV.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said he had secured a commitment from the AFL to make Friday night games the best of the week.

"We're got commitments from the AFL that the Friday night game is the best game, the Saturday night game is the second-best game," he told reporters in Canberra.

"The AFL's formula is quite complex. They have an agreement each club has to get a certain number of games on a Friday night."

Network Ten chief executive Grant Blackley said he would work with the government to ensure it showed the best AFL games.

The Nine Network, which has the rights to rugby league, would only have to screen three out of eight games per premiership round, with pay TV given the right to bid for the rest.

Presently, five of these eight games are shown exclusively on pay TV.

The NRL is considering a six-week rolling program in which the first, second and fifth best games are shown on free-to-air television.

Senator Conroy admitted the government was still working out sanctions for broadcasters who failed to show the required sports on the anti-siphoning list.

"We're looking at putting in place some encouragements, mechanisms, that will ensure that they keep their word," he said, adding that fines or putting sports back on the anti-siphoning list were being considered.

Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull criticised Senator Conroy for failing to put in place a mechanism to determine which of the best games would remain on the anti-siphoning list.

"As a consequence the changes won't take place until a mechanism for effecting the picks of the best games has been determined," he said.

"The result is continuing confusion and uncertainty, all of which could have been avoided if he had worked out a satisfactory mechanism for picking the best games to remain on the anti-siphoning list."

Free TV chairman Wayne Goss welcomed the new rules.

But subscription television lobby, ASTRA, is disappointed the government has not delisted some sporting events that the free-to-air networks don't broadcast anyway, such as some Australian Open tennis matches.

"What the government has done is simply to allow subscription television to bid directly - along with the terrestrial networks - for a number of events from the anti-siphoning list that the terrestrial networks have historically not shown anyway," ASTRA chairman Steve Bracks said.