VietNamNet Bridge – IMG stressed that VTV and all members of the Vietnam Association of Pay-TV Service Providers that want to broadcast the Premier League in the next three seasons will have to ask for direct license from IMG Media, not from any third party.
Local TV broadcasters hope to share EPL TV rights with French group
K + to get the Premier League TV rights
To definitely solve the issue related to the purchase of television rights of the British Premier League (EPL) in 2013-2016 in Vietnam, Vice President of IMG Media, Chief Representative of IMG Media in Asia – Pacific, Mr Chris Guinness has sent a reply to the Vietnam Televison’s (VTV) Deputy Director Nguyen Thanh Luong – Chief negotiator for the EPL TV. In the document, IMG Media’s representative confirmed that it does not allow the French company Canal + to share EPL TV rights with Vietnamese TV stations.
Previously, IMG transferred the exclusive broadcast rights of two of the three copyright packages for the EPL in Vietnam to Canal Plus Overseas (Canal +).
Accordingly, Canal+ holds the exclusive right to broadcast all the matches played on Sunday, except the last Sunday of the season an all games held on Saturday at 12h45.
In his letter, Chris Guinness stated: “We are aware that, VTV, as a partner of Canal + in the K + television JV in Vietnam and at the same time the representative of a group of local broadcasters like VCTV, SCTV, AVG, VTC, Viettel, VNPT, HTV – has asked Canal + to share the rights to broadcast the two packages of the EPL to the group.”
But he confirmed that Canal + has no right and never has the right to share the copyright of the two above packages for any television station in the territory of Vietnam, except K +. This condition is not only within the limits of the agreement signed between IMG Media and Canal + but also the strict term in the agreement between IMG Media and the organizer of the EPL.
IMG stressed that VTV and all members of the Vietnam Association of Pay-TV Service Providers that want to broadcast the EPL 2013-2016 will have to apply for permission from IMG Media.
IMG has invited VTV and members of the Vietnam Association of Pay-TV Service Providers to attend a meeting on EPL TV rights on April 29 in Hanoi.
Nam Nguyen