Wednesday, January 10, 2007

A copyright battle between VTV and VTC


VietNamNet Bridge - There are only 2 more days before the opening ceremony of AFF Cup. But VTV is sitting on fire right now since it hasn’t succeeded in buying the right to broadcast the Cup live from VTC, which in turn has bought the copyright from AFF’s marketing partner, World Sport.

Respectively, on December 9, December 28 and January 2, VTV sent three dispatches to VTC, asking the latter to share the broadcasting copyright of AFF Cup 2007 with VTV. In the third dispatch, VTV requested VTC to name a price and suggested a meeting between the two sides for negotiation. The time of the meeting was to be decided by VTC. After the last letter, VTV had to wait for 2 days before it received an official answer from VTC. When asked about the delay, VTC explained, “We did seem to receive the dispatches. But we won’t discuss this subject until our meeting. At any rate, the possibility of sharing the copyright with VTV is low.” In response to this statement, VTV’s vice director, Mr. Tran Dang Tuan, said that VTV was dealing with what VTC itself had to face when it approached VTV for the right to broadcast World Cup 2006 and ASIAD 15. The meeting did take place, and VTC officially answered No to VTV’s proposal. The unit responsible for all copyright matters at VTC sent a letter to VTV which read: “We’re very sorry that we won’t sell the copyright to VTV for subjective as well as objective reasons.” Also in this letter, VTC informed VTV that “in order to serve football fans all over the country, the centre of advertisement and TV services at VTC has permitted local radios and TVs to broadcast all programmes of AFF Cup 2007. 20 radios and TVs have registered."Yesterday (January 9), VTV sent another dispatch to ask for the copyright again. VTV wrote that though VTC had agreed to let local radios and TVs broadcast the Cup free of charge, “with VTC’s current broadcasting area, only people in the cities would have a chance to watch the matches at AFF Cup". Thus, VTV fervently asked VTC "to reconsider sharing the copyright with VTV and to inform VTV of its decision as soon as possible since there are only a few more days before the Cup starts." According to VTV, "if VTC says yes to VTV’s request, most TV viewers from cities, villages, and towns to faraway regions and islands, will be able to watch the whole programme of that football event.” AFF Cup 2007 will start on January 12 in Thailand (Group A), and one day after, the Vietnamese team (Group B) will play its first match against Singapore (also in Group B). P.V

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