Putrajaya tells broadcasters to share ‘national interest’ sports content
The Summer Olympics is one of the listed sporting events. — Reuters picKUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — Broadcasters have to share sports content “with national significance” with free-to-air stations, a move that will benefit viewers who are not subscribing to pay-television.
The Malaysian Insider understands the new ruling issued today is similar to content-sharing for World Cup football by rights holders such as Astro, the dominant pay television here.
Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim announced the ruling today when launching RTM Mobile in Perak.
Among the sporting events listed are the Summer Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asia Games, SEA Games, SUKMA, Thomas and Uber Cup, All England, BWF Super Series, AFC Asian Cup, ASEAN Football Federation Cup, FIFA World Cup (semi finals and final) and English Premier League (final match).
The ministry said all of these sporting events were chosen because they promote national integration and have the propensity to unite the country under the spirit of 1 Malaysia.
It added the move will be implemented through the Ministerial Determination under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 with the objective of allowing more Malaysians to view and follow the popular sporting events and those that the Malaysian national team.
