Oceania

The Australian federal government’s Communications Minister, Mitch Fifield, has revealed a broad package of media reforms, including a shortened anti-siphoning list of sporting events reserved for free-to-air television and tighter restrictions on gambling advertisements during sports coverage.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand has halted its daily and weekly ‘Fan Pass’ service, which allowed non-subscribers to access its sports channels online.

Former rugby league star Benny Elias has called on the Australian National Rugby League to consider acquiring struggling commercial broadcaster Channel Ten.

Channel Ten is hoping to dislodge Australian commercial broadcast rival Nine as the rights-holder for Cricket Australia’s Test matches, one-day internationals and Twenty20 contests, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Australian pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports has sealed a rights deal for the Women’s National Basketball League.

Australian broadcasters are preparing fresh budgets ahead of a possible ban on gambling advertising during live sports coverage, according to ABC.

Australian commercial broadcaster Nine has said it would be open to a partnership with pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports in order to secure the next set of rights marketed by Cricket Australia.

New Zealand’s uncompetitive media-rights market made life difficult for IMG’s sale of Rugby League World Cup rights.

The Lagardère Sports agency has secured media-rights deals in various territories for the International Table Tennis Federation.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand and telecommunications company Vodafone New Zealand have filed appeals with the High Court against the Commerce Commission’s decision to block a merger between the two businesses.

Social media platform Snapchat has signed an extended partnership with Aussie rules football league the AFL.

Pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has acquired rights in Australia to the Primera División, the top tier of club football in Argentina.

Fijian commercial broadcaster Fiji TV has acquired rights to the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

Sky Racing World, a distributor of horse racing content to the Americas, has expanded its partnership with US pay-television racing broadcaster TVG.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand has acquired rights to this year’s Rugby League World Cup, which the country will co-host alongside Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) has teamed up with live sport and event broadcasting company Sportscast Australia to stream live coverage of its upcoming Grand Final Series via social media platform Facebook.