Foxtel chief executive Richard Freudenstein has denied that Australia’s anti-siphoning regulations would become redundant if the pay-television operator acquires commercial broadcaster Ten in a joint deal with pay-television broadcaster Discovery Communications.
Foxtel and Discovery are considering a joint bid for Ten, according to the Melbourne Age newspaper.
The anti-siphoning regulations reserve certain major sporting properties for free-to-air television, but Freudentstein told the newspaper that he “wouldn’t over-rate” the impact of a possible takeover on the regulations.
“In terms of sport, we have to deal with free-to-air because of these ridiculous anti-siphoning laws,” he said. “We're happy to deal with any free-to-air network. Obviously rugby league is done with Nine, AFL is done with Seven, V8 Supercars with Ten. It's always the way it is."
US media company Time Warner is also considering a bid for Ten.