BBC holds UK news sites to ransom over event footage
THE BBC is at the centre of a row over its Coronation footage after UK news organisations were told they would have to pay for it despite foreign media getting it at no extra cost.
Live coverage of Elizabeth II’S funeral was shared with news websites free of charge because the event was deemed to be of historical importance, and the same arrangement was expected to be put in place for the Coronation.
However, the BBC, whose cameras will film events inside Westminster Abbey, has demanded that British websites pay a significant sum for access to the live footage.
It means that licence-fee payers, whose money covers the cost of the coverage, will be denied the choice of watching it on their favourite news websites, while foreign audiences – who do not contribute to the cost – will have no such restrictions.
The News Media Association, which represents news publishers, has been in negotiations with the BBC for weeks, arguing that the Coronation, as a major historical event, should be treated in the same way as the late Queen’s funeral.
The BBC, ITN and Sky, which are pooling their footage of the procession and the Abbey service, want publishers to pay a six-figure sum between them for access to their images.
Because the BBC is the only organisation allowed to film inside the Abbey on Saturday, it has a monopoly on the images of the service, meaning it can effectively hold publishers to ransom.
Talks between the NMA and the broadcasters yesterday broke up without agreement. A final meeting between them is scheduled for today.
Under a separate agreement affecting foreign territories, news websites around the world will be able to stream footage of the whole event at no extra cost to their existing deals with press agencies that supply them with news footage.
Dawn Alford, the executive director of the Society of Editors, which represents the editors of news publishers, said: “Given the significant public interest in Saturday’s historic Coronation and the
‘It is wrong that UK news audiences will be the ones to lose out on free access via their chosen platform’
precedent set by the Queen’s funeral, we are deeply concerned that, while foreign publishers will be free to use live broadcast footage of the event, UK audiences look set to miss out unless publishers meet broadcasters’ financial demands.
“Given that the BBC is funded by the licence fee payer, it is wrong that UK news audiences will be the ones set to lose out on free access via their chosen platform. We urge the broadcasters to reconsider.”
Buckingham Palace has told the NMA it has no objection to the footage being shared with UK news outlets free of charge.
A BBC spokesman said: “The UK broadcasters who are covering this complex and historic event have asked for a fair and reasonable financial contribution from any third parties wishing to access the live coverage for their own use.”