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C challenges TV
deal in courts
LONDON, Saturday
(AAP). — The BBC is
sued High Court writs
yesterday against London
Weekend Television and
the English Football
League over the three
year deal which gives the
commercial Independent
Television (ITV) network
exclusive coverage of Brit
ish league soccer begin
ning next season.
The BBC has accused LWT
of "bad faith" in concluding the
SA8.5 million deal with ITV at
the same time as the BBC, ITV
and the Football League were
involved in joint negotiations.
The BBC is seeking a decla
ration that LWT was bound by
an agreement under which the
BBC and all the ITV com
panies negotiated jointly—and
not unilaterally — for new ar
rangements governing televised
league soccer.
The BBC is also asked for an
injunction to prevent the foot
ball league and LWT putting
their new deal into effect.
It is seeking damages from
LWT for breach of the agree
ment governing joint nego
tiations, as well as damages
from both LWT and the foot
ball league for "conspiring to
injure the BBC by negotiating
a deal in breach of an existing
agreement".
The action is being instituted
in the commercial court, which
is part of the Queen's bench.
No date has been fixed for the'
hearing.
The senior staff of the BBC's
Match of the Day, which will
disappear at the end of the
current season if the new TV
soccer deal goes through, yes
terday demanded the right "to
take part in what is seen to be
fair and open competition".
In a statement, which in
cluded among its signatories
Jimmy Hill, Barry Davies,
Davia Coleman and Bob
Wilson, they said, "We do not
believe the BBC has a divine
right to cover football, but we
do believe we have a right to be
allowed to compete".
Canberra competitor Giambrone attempts to lift 75kgs in the clean-and-jerk section of the first division at the Australian national weightlifting titles at the ANU Sports Centre yesterday. Help
Canberra competitor Giambrone attempts to lift 75kgs in the clean-and-jerk section of the first division
at the Australian national weightlifting titles at the ANU Sports Centre yesterday.
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