'RCTI' says trouble settled with FIFA over W. Cup rights<\/p>\n
Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesians will likely continue to enjoy viewing World Cup games
\nfor one full month as RCTI claimed on Friday it had seen off a
\nthreat by the international soccer body FIFA to revoke the sole
\nrights the private TV channel holds to broadcast the spectacular
\none-month event.<\/p>\n
FIFA scolded RCTI for allowing a spillover of its broadcast
\nvia satellite and threatened to strip it of the rights, unless
\nthe television network overcame the problem soon.<\/p>\n
The admonishment was made on June 1 through KirchMedia, a
\ngiant international multimedia company appointed by the FIFA as
\nholder of sole rights to air the games worldwide.<\/p>\n
\"The threat is serious. But we have explained to KirchMedia
\nwhat steps we have taken to deal with this problem, and they may
\naccept it,\" RCTI spokesman Teguh Juwarno told The Jakarta Post on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
\"God willing, there will be no more problems and the
\nIndonesian people will continue to be able to watch the World
\nCup,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Teguh said the country's oldest private television network had
\nto select a number of games to broadcast each day to reduce the
\nspillover from its satellite broadcasts into India, Singapore,
\nMalaysia and several parts of Australia.<\/p>\n
Consequently, the move has caused many Indonesian viewers
\ndependent on reception via parabola to miss out on the
\ninternational event, he added.<\/p>\n
He argued that the spillover was unavoidable because the
\nRCTI's satellite transponder's footprint spread into several
\nparts of foreign countries, including India, Singapore, Australia
\nand Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Teguh apologized to disappointed Indonesian viewers for the
\nchannel disruption.<\/p>\n
Previously, the House of Representatives lashed out at RCTI
\nfor ignoring the fate of 70 million Indonesians who were excluded
\nfrom watching the games.<\/p>\n
The affected 70 million viewers excluded many others who
\nalways relied on a parabola to receive a TV signal.<\/p>\n
Legislators urged the private TV channel to share its rights
\nwith state broadcaster TVRI, which can reach more than 80 percent
\nof the country's viewers.<\/p>\n
\"RCTI should be willing to collaborate with TVRI or other
\ntelevision networks so that the public's viewing rights can be
\nadequately catered for,\" Bambang Sadono, a member of House
\nCommission I, told a hearing with Minister of Information and
\nCommunications Syamsul Muarif on Thursday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rcti-says-trouble-settled-with-fifa-over-w-cup-rights-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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