Prospects bleak for TV cover

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32660, 16 July 1971, Page 22

Prospects bleak for TV cover

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON.

New Zealand and Australian prospects of getting television coverage of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games were bleak, the N.Z.B.C.’s Direc-tor-General (Mr L. R. Sceats) said yesterday. Mr Sceats, just back from an overseas tour which included consultations on the issue of the fees Australia and New Zealand are being asked to pay for television rights to the Olympics, said the present sum being asked by the Munich Games organising committee was “unrealistic and quite prohibitive.” The fee Munich is asking at present is in the $276,000$366,000 range. On behalf of all Australian and New Zealand interests, the Australian Broadcasting Commission has offered $62,500. “Unless there is a drastic change in the financial situation we might have no television film coverage of the Olympics,” Mr Sceats said. He said this prospect was

disappointing because the N.Z.B.C. felt the desire and obligation to give film coverage if possible. Mr Sceats said he did not envisage the Australasian offer being increased. However, negotiations on the issue were continuing. In London yesterday the general manager of the AB.C. (Mr T. Duckmanton) said Munich’s demand was unreasonable and illogically based. He said Australia was being asked a large sum on the principle that she was “a wealthy country and well known throughout the world for love of sport.” The amount asked was out of all proportion to what European viewers were’ being asked to pay. The European Broadcasting Union, covering 75 million television sets was paying only $1,786,000. Yet Australia and New Zealand, with only 3 million sets was to be charged 20 to 25 per cent of the European fee, Mr Duckmanton said.