NATIONAL Communications Network (NCN) has sent a very strong warning to any company, sports bar, entertainment centre and others that, should they be caught engaging in unauthorised broadcasting of the FIFA Games, at any point during the tournament, sanctions will be very harsh.Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Ms. Molly Hassan explained that the millions which the company spent to secure the exclusive rights for the game have to be recovered and, if persons broadcast the games without permission, it would hamper their efforts to recover the capital.
She admitted, however, that the company has already begun seeing returns from the investments and there continues to be much interest by advertisers to have the games associated with their names.
Hassan said NCN has persons around the country monitoring the games and any evidence that they are being aired unauthorised will be reported to the relevant bodies.
There can also be no promotional mention of the games in any ads by Sport Bars or other entities which wish to have the patrons visit their places of business to watch the matches even though they might be getting the feeds from one of the two companies who also secured the broadcast rights through the sub-letting arrangement.
In addition to NCN Inc., the rights to broadcast the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) games 2014 have also been awarded to local cable company E Networks and direct provider Stabroek TV.
Exclusive interview
This was confirmed by Hassan in an exclusive interview with this newspaper yesterday morning.
She explained that NCN has sought and gotten permission to sub-let the rights for the games to the listed entities.
Hassan went on to say that while the rights to have the games aired via direct and cable TV, NCN still holds the sole broadcasting rights for the games, acquired through the International Media Content (IMC).
Prior to sub-letting of the games, anyone who was found airing the games without the permission of NCN would have landed in legal disputes with FIFA and IMC.
Anyone who wishes to set up big screens and show the FIFA World Cup matches are asked to visit the NCN Inc and get the requisite permission and that comes with a cost, Hassan reminded.
She also spoke to the issue of Sport Bars which are seeking to have the games shown in open air on big screens.
Hassan said once permission is not sought from NCN that will be illegal. She added that those to whom the rights have been sub-let are not permitted to air the games outdoor, only indoors.
She said it was on Monday that the company signed the agreement to sub-let the games to the two entities.
With E Networks subletting the games from NCN it now has exclusive cable rights to show the games but those come with boundaries through their cable broadcasts. Likewise the arrangement for the satellite TV coverage of the games which were signed between NCN and Stabroek TV.
Played simultaneously
Hassan has assured that NCN will be broadcasting all 64 games of the FIFA World Cup Football which features 32 teams. She said, where games are played simultaneously, those will be recorded and rebroadcast for the Guyanese viewing public.
Asked about the value to the customer of this arrangement, she said the broadcasts both live and rebroadcast were sold as packages to advertisers and they accepted them wholeheartedly pointing out the individual objective of the advertisers who picked their deals.
The support of the corporate community has been tremendous with respect to selling of the various packages for the games, she said.
The CEO mentioned that because of that, NCN has been able to recover the cost for securing the rights for the games and spots and packages are still being sold while limited space is available to accommodate added sponsors.
Among the main sponsors of the FIFA Games to be aired on NCN are Banks Coca Cola, Courts Guyana Limited, Ansa Mc Al, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), Singer and Digicel Guyana.