Radios in Premier relays ‘fight’
It is time for the British Premier league and the battle between the giants is reverberating all the way to Uganda. Not the scene we are accustomed to witnessing it in only, the pubs, lounges and other places with TV sets connected to DSTV
By Chibita wa Duallo
It is time for the British Premier league and the battle between the giants is reverberating all the way to Uganda. Not the scene we are accustomed to witnessing it in only, the pubs, lounges and other places with TV sets connected to DSTV. The Premier league battles have been extended to another unlikely venue, the studios of the FM radio stations.
It all started a few years ago when the now struggling TVAfrica brought the Premier league matches to people’s TV sets free of charge. The next season, Multichoice, a pay-TV of sorts, annoyed many average Ugandans when they bought exclusive rights to the league. Meaning that only Multichoice subscribers could access the Premier league.
The result was that pubs and other public places with TV sets cashed in since the average Ugandan cannot afford the package that Multichoice offers before accessing the matches. Others who could afford declined the offer for various other reasons.
Several FM Radio stations then realized there was an untapped audience out there waiting to hear the results of the games at the end. The FM stations then decided to re-broadcast from the TV sets. The move paid off. More people listen to radio than watch TV!
At the beginning of this year’s season there was more bad news. Only one radio station was going to be allowed to broadcast the Premier league matches. It was not as bad as it sounds, after all, Radio One’s signal is among the most powerful in town. Ugandans however are getting spoilt by choice so they want to have the chance to pick the one station out of several.
The other group of people not amused by Radio One’s monopoly were the other FM stations. While the other stations took it lying down, Super FM decided to jump back into the fray and re-broadcast the games. Radio One cried foul and latest reports indicate that the battle over who has the radio rights over the Premier League in Uganda might be settled in the courts of law.
Again the average Ugandan may not understand what the two stations are fighting over, or worse still, why Radio One wants to ‘monopolise’ the Premier League! It all boils down to rights and ultimately to economics as the bottom line. Since the premier league is so popular, whoever relays it is assured of top ratings, top ratings means big numbers of listeners, advertising and more money! As some would say; it is the money, Stupid!
Who has the rights to relay the Premier league in Uganda? Basically that is the question that the courts of law will be called upon to decide. The verdict will depend on the evidence adduced and this will include what paperwork was signed between which station and who.
The way I look at it, radio re-broadcasts of this kind are quite a unique and new area. The major deal for relaying the games are usually between the people in charge of the games, in this case the Premier League, or is it the Barclaycard and the TV and Radio stations that transmit the games live. That is where the big money is and that is where exclusive rights are monitored and enforced vigorously.
After the matches have been relayed live, what happens thereafter then becomes a concern of the TV or Radio stations with the rights. They have to ensure that no other station is infringing on their rights to relay the matches live. You may recall the case of UTV and CTV regarding screening World Cup matches of a few years ago.
Basically, the Premier League handlers, Multichoice and other intermediate sponsors may not fight the FM radio stations battle for them too hard. After all, they have already cashed in on their contracts.
The battle therefore may be left solely to Radio One to prove that they have a cause of action and that their rights are being infringed. Multichoice, of course, will be obliged to support Radio One, if they are the ones who purported to bestow exclusive radio rights on them. Otherwise, they will be accused of ‘supplying air.’
Super Fm; on the other hand will be arguing that nobody has exclusive rights over re-broadcasting unless it is the Premier Leaguse itself. Since they have access to DSTV they are entitled to watch and share the same with their listeners, as long as they are not charging the listeners for this service!
All in all, we are poised to be treated to an entertaining extension of the Premier League in the courts of law, unless the stations settle the matter amicably.
This whole saga reminds one of the Ugandan’s affinity to second-hand things. If they can buy a second hand designer shirt in Owino and the original designer does not complain, they may wonder why anybody should complain when they listen to a second-hand broadcast of the Premier League.
It is time for the British Premier league and the battle between the giants is reverberating all the way to Uganda. Not the scene we are accustomed to witnessing it in only, the pubs, lounges and other places with TV sets connected to DSTV. The Premier league battles have been extended to another unlikely venue, the studios of the FM radio stations.
It all started a few years ago when the now struggling TVAfrica brought the Premier league matches to people’s TV sets free of charge. The next season, Multichoice, a pay-TV of sorts, annoyed many average Ugandans when they bought exclusive rights to the league. Meaning that only Multichoice subscribers could access the Premier league.
The result was that pubs and other public places with TV sets cashed in since the average Ugandan cannot afford the package that Multichoice offers before accessing the matches. Others who could afford declined the offer for various other reasons.
Several FM Radio stations then realized there was an untapped audience out there waiting to hear the results of the games at the end. The FM stations then decided to re-broadcast from the TV sets. The move paid off. More people listen to radio than watch TV!
At the beginning of this year’s season there was more bad news. Only one radio station was going to be allowed to broadcast the Premier league matches. It was not as bad as it sounds, after all, Radio One’s signal is among the most powerful in town. Ugandans however are getting spoilt by choice so they want to have the chance to pick the one station out of several.
The other group of people not amused by Radio One’s monopoly were the other FM stations. While the other stations took it lying down, Super FM decided to jump back into the fray and re-broadcast the games. Radio One cried foul and latest reports indicate that the battle over who has the radio rights over the Premier League in Uganda might be settled in the courts of law.
Again the average Ugandan may not understand what the two stations are fighting over, or worse still, why Radio One wants to ‘monopolise’ the Premier League! It all boils down to rights and ultimately to economics as the bottom line. Since the premier league is so popular, whoever relays it is assured of top ratings, top ratings means big numbers of listeners, advertising and more money! As some would say; it is the money, Stupid!
Who has the rights to relay the Premier league in Uganda? Basically that is the question that the courts of law will be called upon to decide. The verdict will depend on the evidence adduced and this will include what paperwork was signed between which station and who.
The way I look at it, radio re-broadcasts of this kind are quite a unique and new area. The major deal for relaying the games are usually between the people in charge of the games, in this case the Premier League, or is it the Barclaycard and the TV and Radio stations that transmit the games live. That is where the big money is and that is where exclusive rights are monitored and enforced vigorously.
After the matches have been relayed live, what happens thereafter then becomes a concern of the TV or Radio stations with the rights. They have to ensure that no other station is infringing on their rights to relay the matches live. You may recall the case of UTV and CTV regarding screening World Cup matches of a few years ago.
Basically, the Premier League handlers, Multichoice and other intermediate sponsors may not fight the FM radio stations battle for them too hard. After all, they have already cashed in on their contracts.
The battle therefore may be left solely to Radio One to prove that they have a cause of action and that their rights are being infringed. Multichoice, of course, will be obliged to support Radio One, if they are the ones who purported to bestow exclusive radio rights on them. Otherwise, they will be accused of ‘supplying air.’
Super Fm; on the other hand will be arguing that nobody has exclusive rights over re-broadcasting unless it is the Premier Leaguse itself. Since they have access to DSTV they are entitled to watch and share the same with their listeners, as long as they are not charging the listeners for this service!
All in all, we are poised to be treated to an entertaining extension of the Premier League in the courts of law, unless the stations settle the matter amicably.
This whole saga reminds one of the Ugandan’s affinity to second-hand things. If they can buy a second hand designer shirt in Owino and the original designer does not complain, they may wonder why anybody should complain when they listen to a second-hand broadcast of the Premier League.