United Kingdom
Ice-hockey, rugby and handball pull in the viewers
Football’s Champions League final was not the only major sporting event in May to attract good viewing for broadcasters around Europe.
How ITV and Setanta joined forces for final bid
Takeover target Setanta has still to prove itself
F1 viewing falls in UK despite new star Hamilton
German viewing also falls, Spain and Italy see audiences rise
How the big five leagues handle TV production
Golden League doesn’t glisten for UK and Italy
The revamped Golden League athletics series has still to win television coverage in two of Europe’s top five television markets.
New channels drive golf fees in Europe and Asia.
Pay-television newcomers Setanta in the UK and Arena in Germany are bidding strongly for US golf rights against the established pay-operators in their countries.
TV RIGHTS CLIPS 2: Olympics, cricket, tennis, motorsport and more
Premier League rights help BT protect itself
British Telecom will look to acquire more sports-rights content after becoming the latest European telecoms company to enter the market.
TV RIGHTS CLIPS 2: Basketball and more
EC is being far ‘more radical’ over Premier League
Italy leads way in Six Nations record viewing
Dramatic tournament attracts best-ever audiences in four key markets
UK signs up 1m digital homes in last quarter
Freeview digital-terrestrial service close to overtaking pay operator BSkyB
BSkyB extends Windies cricket
TV asked to increase bids as athletics rights fees plunge
TV RIGHTS CLIPS 1: Football, basketball, motor sport and others
Football: French commercial broad-caster TF1 agreed a deal with the Infront agency for the pay-television rights for the 2006 World Cup and sublicensed them to pay-broadcaster Canal Plus and its own cable and satellite channel Eurosport.
Setanta strategy pushed up price
Setanta, which acquired two of the Premier League’s six packages of live rights, was the major challenger for the most highly prized package of top matches.