Clayton Mitchell's back on his political hobby-horse.
And the New Zealand First list MP has fired off yet another shot on behalf of free-to-air television viewers. This one's aimed squarely at Sky Television and the Government.
'Kiwis are again being denied the chance to see top, live and free-to-air sport on television over the Christmas-New year when the Black Caps take on Bangladesh,” claims the Tauranga-based MP.
He says this time of the year Kiwis like to get together with friend and family and it can be a great chance to watch some top sport together.
'This used to happen but these days with pay-to-view television, hundreds of thousands of Kiwis miss out because they cannot afford to pay for Sky.”
Clayton says on Boxing Day the Black Caps play Bangladesh at Hagley Park in Christchurch.
'It's one of the few days in the year when most Kiwis are not working.
'But only those who attend the cricket match and those who can afford Sky will be able to see it.”
He claims this is totally wrong. 'Why should Kiwis have to pay over and over?”
In June the New Zealand First MP called on the Government to step in to ensure top level rugby, the All Blacks, remained accessible to heartland support.
The MP's concerned rugby is becoming elitist and out of reach for thousands of fans.
'Rugby remains New Zealand's national game but it's increasingly becoming a game in which major matches can only be watched by the better-off members of society.”
Rugby, Clayton says, 'Is pricing itself out of reach of many people who love and support it”.
And denying most Kiwis live cricket is not a fair go according to the MP.
10 comments
You will
Posted on 23-12-2016 08:16 | By Merlin
You will not get any change out of the Government whilst they are mates with Sky.I still remember the more pokies deal(More Gambling)with them.Legislation needs to be passed for live not delayed coverage free to air and not full of adds for major New Zealand sporting events.The Government needs to get some GUTS.Sky's prices are way overpriced and should be looked at by the Commerce Commission.
So Clayton who pays?
Posted on 23-12-2016 09:05 | By Dazed and Confused
Clayton please explain to me who is going to pay . Sky Tv is a private business made up of share holders. Maybe the sports people will be happy not being paid if the play in NZ or is this going to be a NZ 1st shout?Do you really think that the tax payer should pay for these events ? Because someone is going to have to pick up the tab.
New Zealanders miss out again
Posted on 23-12-2016 10:38 | By Darth Vader NZ
sky TV has had a monopoly on broadcasting sports in New Zealand for far to long, Joseph Parker fight was on foxtel in Australia for no additional fee yet here in NZ sky charged subscribers an additional fee its time for the government to step up and ensure all New Zealanders have free to air live sports of our national sports teams. The olympics are a prime example our taxes provide funding for the NZ olympic team to compete yet only those that had sky TV were able to watch live coverage of the NZ team members competing while those without sky TV only had limited coverage of NZ competitors much of which was prerecorded it seems sky TV is reaping all the benefits while the kiwi sports supporter continually misses out as normal
Gas Bag M.P's
Posted on 23-12-2016 11:03 | By Icon
A typical M.P. Has an opinion on anything & everything! However they never have nor offer any solutions. I propose a system where if a M.P, get's on his high horse without being rational or offering a sensible, well thought out solution, they have their salary cut by 2% each occasion. Perhaps only then, they will be held responsible for their trusted position in Parliament.
Clayton Naive?
Posted on 23-12-2016 11:14 | By Crash test dummies
Obviously the TV rights cost money, to setup and broadcast live requires significant staff and equipment, those involved don't get a day off. Add to this also that Sport now demands money for the TV rights, that TV revenue from advertising has dropped the free view is no longer in the game ... that leaves Sky only. All of the above is obvious. Add to that, sports are going professional, that means money and lots of it paid to sports people, no one is denying that they should be paid here? But still expect free TV, who is going to pay the piper if TV does not pay? Take Super Rugby, SANZAR get hundreds of millions for the TV rights, would these games happen without this money being paid? VERY unlikely folks. Clayton needs to provide solutions rather than just moaning about the obvious result from the obvious path.
IF
Posted on 23-12-2016 13:42 | By waiknot
If the game is a NZ representative game then it needs to be free to air.
@ Icon
Posted on 23-12-2016 13:48 | By Crash test dummies
A faster result would be obtained if the % reduction was applies to MP salaries for each and every promise made during the election period that was subsequently broken . Most MP's would end up with no salary after a month. Add to that, if Councillors also had the same rule apply, but lets make it 5% a time, that way after a couple of weeks they would be paying money in and no salary.
Rights and privileges
Posted on 24-12-2016 11:33 | By morepork
Being able to see live sport on TV is a privilege, not a right. I would certainly agree that it is a privilege we should help extend to all New Zealanders and it is annoying that some people are excluded because it is too expensive. The only way I can see that you could fix that would be by regulation of pay-per-view , and if you do that the providers will probably pull out of NZ altogether. Clayton is wrong to demand this as a right because some people are cricket (or whatever...) fans. What we COULD do (provided the pay-per-view market is large enough here to entice the providers) would be to insist that at least one of our free-to-air channels gets coverage some time after the event (even a day later, if it's free) and the providers get a lump sum to cover it.
Free live sport. No problem
Posted on 25-12-2016 09:11 | By astex
Simply invest in a google TV set top box (about $75 from china) hook up to your PC modem and watch live TV, including any sport being broadcast anywhere in the world, All for free.
Its A Clayton
Posted on 26-12-2016 19:11 | By peter pan
Dont blame Sky they bought the rights to televise the sport in NZ and paid a huge sum to the sporting body`s So blame the Cricket and Rugby folk who sold to the highest bidder.The couldn't give a toss if you can see it or not they have got there payments from Sky and that is how they pay their players.Then Sky sell it to folk to recoup there money.
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