UK: Government to consider if free-to-air broadcasting of "listed events" could cover digital rights

The UK government will "consider if public service broadcasters - including the BBC, ITV (a private free-to-air TV group), Channel 4 and Channel 5 - should be guaranteed the opportunity to buy digital rights for major sporting events on their digital platforms rather than just focusing on traditional TV broadcasting as is the case today (in the UK)," announced the body on 15/11/2022.

This includes Olympics and the World Cup. "The review will take into consideration broader online distribution of sporting rights, including video sharing platforms and social media, which has increased exponentially since the current legal framework was established in 1996," explained the government.

"The current framework was decided in a different media landscape almost twenty years ago" (UK Government)

• "The listed events regime helps ensure the British public are able to tune into the biggest sporting moments at no additional cost by giving PSBs (public service broadcasters) the opportunity to bid for the broadcasting rights. This has meant that more than 40 million people watched Euro 2020 …