RWC live TV relay too expensive for public broadcasting [1]
Thursday, August 11, 2011 - 13:01. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
Less than a month before the 'Ikale Tahi meets the All Blacks in the September 9 opening match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup it seems certain that the majority of Tongan rugby fans will have difficulty viewing live television coverage of the matches.
Fiji TV's Sky Pacific has the exclusive right to televise all the 48 World Cup Games to Tonga, including the opening match between the 'Ikale Tahi and the New Zealand All Blacks.
That's no problem for those who can afford an investment of $781 pa'anga for the set-up and equipment, along with a monthly fee of around $66, to comfortably watch not only the 'Ikale Tahi games but the entire RWC tournament live at home.
But that is out of reach of most Tongan rugby fans.
Opening match
Another alternative, at least for Nuku'alofa, is a public screening of the opening game in Nuku'alofa that is being organised by the New Zealand High Commission office.
Second Secretary Leilani Tamu told Matangi Tonga Online that they are currently working with other private stakeholders on a public screening of the opening game between the 'Ikale Tahi and the New Zealand All Blacks in Nuku'alofa on the evening of Friday evening, September 9. The details of this public screening will be released later.
Public television
There is another possibility of screening either the opening game or some of the highlight games from the tournament through Television Tonga's free broadcast, but they need permission from Fiji TV/Sky and that will be costly.
The General Manager of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission, Nanise Fifita told Matangi Tonga Online on August 3 that all 48 games of the Rugby World Cup 2011 would be broadcasted through Sky TV in Tonga on the paid subscriber service.
However, public broadcasting via Television Tonga was not decided. "We are still negotiating with Fiji TV/Sky. And we are looking at financial support from every angle," she said.
It is understood that Sky is offering a package of USD$100,000 (TOP$161,000) for broadcasters for the rights and delivery, or alternatively around TOP$6,000 pa'anga per game.
Meanwhile, the other paid television service in Tonga, DigiTV, has confirmed that they will not be broadcasting the Rugby World Cup. Mark Santos of DigiTelevision said that they would not have any coverage of the Rugby World Cup because the fee for broadcasting rights offered by Sky Pacific was too expensive.