By Pesi Fonua

By Pesi Fonua

Last minute, below-the-belt fees imposed on local journalists for so-called “media rights” to cover the 'Ikale Tahi's home rugby match at the Teufaiva Stadium tomorrow, is expected to further deplete the waning popularity of Rugby Union in Tonga.

The curtain raiser President 15 vs Barbarians, and the main event ‘Ikale Tahi vs Western Force, are the first international rugby games to be played at Teufaiva Stadium in a very long time.

It is also the first time for the 'Ikale Tahi to play on its home turf for many years.

And it's the first time ever, that local media have been discouraged from covering national rugby by extraordinary fees imposed by government entities.

The government-owned Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC) today tried to sell the “media rights” to unsuspecting local journalists from “other media” when they went to collect their media passes. The journalists applied for the media passes to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Sports), but they were told the Tonga Sports Council had “redirected” them to buy passes from the TBC today.

Free press

It is so unfortunate that these government entities are trying to make money out of the local media for the professional services that the local media provide for free to the public, which is also freely promoting the sports events for the organisers.

In a statement, the TBC declared that “any other media entity” has to pay for a “media right” of $1000 per game or $2000 for the two games on Saturday. While online and print media, were told to pay a fee of $100 per game or $200 for both games.

This enormous cost is a shock for the local media, because it is the first time that they have been charged for covering a game at Teufaiva Stadium.

The normal practice is that the media are issued with a special free pass to cover the event.

“Deal”

The decision to charge local media, according to a TBC spokesperson was the outcome of “a deal they struck with the Tonga Sports Council,” a government entity.

The Chairman of the Tonga Sports Council, ‘Ikani Taliai told Matangi Tonga today that they gave the “media rights” to the Tonga Broadcasting Commission, “because Tonga Sports Council have been using their services and owes them [TBC] a lot of money.”

He asserted that is entirely for the TBC to decide what to charge the other media.

Foreign Aid

At Teufaiva the grounds and the stadium have been reconstructed with millions of dollars from foreign aid donors.

So for the thousands of Tongan expatriates who will not be able to find the expected variety of local media coverage from the games tomorrow, you will know why.

The unexpected fees to cover national rugby are a blow to the local underfunded media. Can any of them afford these fees to report on a rugby match, and will the TBC be the only media covering the event tomorrow?

“Tonga Sports Council and Tonga Broadcasting Commission is responsible to stop any other media outlets at the Teufaiva Entrance if they do not present a media pass from TBC,” said the statement issued by CEO Solomone Finau and Deputy CEO Setita Tu'ionetoa, demanding that “Payment of rights must be made by 10:00am 24 August, 2019.”