Sports Broadcasting: Irvin Khoza, Rambo&a New Player - a podcast by MultimediaLIVE

Premier Soccer League chairman Dr Irvin Khoza spoke to SportsLIVE podcast host Sbu Mjikeliso about the ICASA public hearings into the draft sports broadcast regulations that threaten to shake up the broadcasting game.

Dr Khoza insists that there is no research proving that the "masses" are being deprived of local football, which is what the communications regulator is trying to address.

"Looking at research, there is none that says there is no access to the PSL property and that is why we demonstrated a balance between free-to-air and subscription services in our presentation," says Khoza.

"In fact, there's an over-supply of events and those are the creme de la creme."

ICASA want pay-channel SuperSport to be stripped of their exclusive rights to broadcast sporting events such as PSL football, Super Rugby and the Currie Cup as well as a host of other major events.

Using a three-tier category system, ICASA have dubbed the PSL, SAFA national teams, Springbok and Proteas games, among other, as being sports of national interest and therefore must be accessible to free-to-air television by law. The regulator believes that these sporting codes are accessible enough to previously disadvantaged communities.

Dr Khoza said the move would cost the PSL 80% of its revenue, which accounts to R2-billion over five years, while SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux says they stand to lose 60% of their income, estimated at over R650-million, over the same period.

Sbu roped in sports broadcast media guru Yannick Wombo, who worked on the deal to help Swiss Sports Media company InFront to acquire the English Premier League free-to-air rights in Sub-Saharan Africa, to speak on the hot topic.

Further episodes of SportsLIVE with BBK

Further podcasts by MultimediaLIVE

Website of MultimediaLIVE