ITC consider responses to World Cup football rights

The ITC have received three submissions regarding the rights to live broadcast of the FIFA World Cup Finals Tournaments in 2002 and 2006.
ITV and the BBC requested consent to broadcast live and exclusive coverage of eight matches in the 2002 Tournament on ITV Sport and possibly BBC Choice as they clash with other matches in the Tournament which will be shown live on ITV1 and BBC1. In all, 56 of the 64 Tournament matches would be shown live on ITV1 and BBC1.
Because the World Cup is a Group A Listed Event and is covered by the ITC Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events, which was revised in January 2002, ITC's consent is required under the Broadcasting Act both for the group of 56 matches and for the eight other matches.
Following the consultation announced on March 20, the ITC say that a copy of the submission made by Channel 5 can be viewed in the ITC Information Office. However, both the remaining respondents requested confidentiality for their submissions.
The ITC plans to announce its decision in relation to the request from ITV and BBC as soon as possible.
Under the rules on Listed Events contained in the Broadcasting Act 1996 (as amended by the Television Broadcasting Regulations 2000) television services are divided into two categories: those which are provided free to air and are received by at least 95% of the UK population, and all other television services.
The services which currently fall into the first category are BBC1, BBC2 ITV1 and Channel 4.
ITC consent is needed where a broadcaster providing a service in either category is planning to show live coverage of a Group A event or part of an event and a broadcaster providing a service in the other category has not also acquired the rights.
(SP)