The Opposition today attempted to make amendments to the Television Cross Carriage of Designated Events Decree to ensure that there is live TV coverage of the South Africa 7s this weekend and other upcoming HSBC World Sevens Series tournaments.
When the Speaker of Parliament, Doctor Jiko Luveni allowed for a vote to be taken on the opposition’s motion, it was outvoted with 29 MP’s opposing it, 17 saying yes while 4 did not vote on the motion.
Following this, Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said that the Television Decree is to ensure that major events like the HSBC World Sevens tournaments are broadcast on all free-to-air TV stations in the country.
He said if it is broadcast by Fiji TV, then those who do not catch the Fiji TV signal will lose out.
He also said that there is a proposal to go to World Rugby headquarters in Ireland to resolve the issue.
However Sayed-Khaiyum said the government’s position is clear.
Sayed-Khaiyum said the government tried until the last minute to get World Rugby to allow the Dubai 7s to be shown on Fiji TV and FBC TV.
While making SODELPA’s formal response to Sayed-Khaiyum, Viliame Gavoka said that Fiji should work with World Rugby and called for debate to repeal the Television Decree.
National Federation Party MP, Tupou Draunidalo also opposed the Television Decree, saying that World Rugby owns the World Sevens Series rights and it is their prerogative on who should get the rights and the TV feed.
The Television Cross Carriage of Designated Events Decree brought in by the Fijian government earlier this year requires all the free to air TV stations to televise designated events which include World Rugby events like the HSBC Rugby Sevens Series tournaments.
Fiji TV was the exclusive rights holder of the 2014/ 2015 HSBC Sevens Series to air the games on the free to air channel, Fiji One however under the decree they have to share the rights with the other two stations, FBC TV and Mai TV.
World Rugby said it did not consent to the sharing of the television feed for the HSBC Sevens World Series with anyone other than Fiji TV who hold the exclusive broadcasting rights to show the 2014 and 2015 Sevens World Series.
Sayed-Khaiyum maintained in parliament today that World Rugby did not oppose the sharing of the TV feed during the Gold Coast 7s.
However World Rugby has said that they did not give consent for the TV feed to Fiji TV to be shared by other TV stations.
The South Africa 7s tournament is this weekend and there will be no live TV feed to Fiji for now as discussions continue.
