World Cup rights issue: MBC warns of legal action

Maldives Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has warned that efforts are ongoing to take legal action against several groups that caused it to suffer losses, due to their actions in the broadcast of the FIFA World Cup matches in the Maldives.

MBC, the operator of the state TV channel Television Maldives (TVM) and radio channel Voice of Maldives, said in a statement today that it has launched a comprehensive investigation into the matter which includes obtaining legal advice regarding ways in which it can take action, and warned that action will be taken as soon as this process is completed.

MBC explained in the statement that its live broadcast of the World Cup matches followed an agreement with Seven Three Sports, a group which held the right to broadcast this event.

The corporation also highlighted that the broadcast of the World Cup matches is connected to international rights, which must regulated within the legal framework of each individual country.

The World Cup matches were announced by the Maldives Broadcasting Commission as a listed event. According to the Commission, the right to rebroadcast this event was obtained only by TVM and VTV. The opening match and the following match, however, were shown on Ice TV, and the remaining matches were shown by Indian company Sony Six, via Media Net, the only cable operator in the Maldives.

The Commission’s regulation on listed events states that it is the responsibility of the group that obtains the right to rebroadcast a listed event, to inform those who buy the event from them that it is a listed event, by including this in the agreements.