§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have on the validity of recent reports that, for the first time, the Football World Cup will not be available in the United Kingdom free to view but that the German Kirch Group will be conducting an auction for the television rights; and, if so, what action they are taking. [HL1409]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyWe understand that the Kirch Group intends to hold an open auction for the live rights but it intends to comply with the UK listed event legislation. Through correspondence and a meeting of officials, we have made the Kirch Group fully aware of the extent of this legislation: that the whole of the World Cup Finals tournament (all 64 matches) is a listed event and that any broadcaster purchasing live rights from Kirch would have to comply with the provisions of the 1996 Broadcasting Act. We expect that the Independent Television Commission, the regulator responsible for ensuring compliance with the legislation, will take all proper steps to ensure that the law works in the way that it is intended, so that UK viewers have the opportunity of seeing the whole of the finals tournament on "free to air" television.