Channel Nine back on track for 3D NRL grand final
- — 31 August, 2010 15:11
Channel Nine is back on track to broadcast the Telstra NRL premiership grand final in 3D after an overdue report was submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority on Friday.
Last week the network advertised that it would be presenting the rugby league final in 3D, before it had gained the approval from the Australian broadcasting and communications regulator. An ACMA media release shortly after that time indicated that “no further trial licences [would] be issued” before Channel Nine had submitted a report on “consumer, reception, interference and technical issues”. The deadline for the report’s submission to ACMA was 18 August, but this passed without action from the broadcaster.
ACMA media manager Donald Robertson told GoodGearGuide today Channel Nine delivered the report on Friday, 27 August — nine days after the expected date. Mr Robertson said that the ACMA was “considering [Channel Nine’s] application and further licensing” despite the delay. Robertson was confident that approval would be granted for Channel Nine to provide 3D coverage of the NRL grand final, even though the 3 October event was little more than a month away.
A representative from government broadcaster SBS Australia, which also broadcast live 3D footage from the 2010 FIFA World Cup during the trial period, told GoodGearGuide the network had “submitted [its] report to ACMA this morning.” The conditions of the licences granted to Nine and SBS for the 3D broadcast trials state that information on consumer complaints and enquiries during the trial period must be supplied to ACMA as part of the reporting process. No further licences will be granted to broadcasters until the trial reports have been considered by ACMA.
Neither of the networks clarified why the reports were not submitted before 18 August.
