3 NEWS: Progressive leader Jim Anderton says iconic sports events should be screened on free TV channels with the Government compensating sports bodies for lost revenue.
Speaking at an election year film industry summit organised by Film Auckland tonight, Mr Anderton said some New Zealanders were growing up without seeing live cricket and rugby on TV.
"They can't afford pay television," he said. "The same arguments about seeing ourselves on screen and supporting our local industry that we apply to film and arts also apply to seeing our iconic sporting events on television."
Mr Anderton, who has previously raised the issue, said property rights could not be interfered with.
"But you can buy the rights."
New Zealand could consider anti-siphoning legislation, similar to that in force in Australia where specified major iconic events had to be screened free.
Mr Anderton said sporting bodies affected by lost revenue would need to be compensated but some loss could be reduced by re-auctioning screening rights among free-to-air broadcasters.
"Both cricket and rugby lost viewers when they went to pay TV and participation has inevitably fallen away afterwards. Kids who are not seeing their heroes live on TV are not following them in to sport to emulate them. The world's two largest sports events, the football world cup and the Olympics, won't allow broadcast rights to be monopolised by pay television."
NZPA
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