By FRANCIS SANTIAGOMarch 19, 2011, 12:58am MANILA, Philippines – The live telecast of the Philippine Azkals’ three matches in the group stage of the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup in Myanmar is in jeopardy after the Rangoon government denied the request of ABS-CBN to bring in cameras to broadcast the games.
Myanmar will only allow foreign broadcast groups to tap into the government telecast but this too has not been approved at presstime with only two days left before the Azkals face the hosts in game one of the Challenge Cup.
An ABS-CBN officer confirmed that it has yet to get the approval of Myanmar’s information ministry for the live feed of the tournament.
The Philippines is competing for one of two qualifying berths for the tournament’s main draw scheduled in 2012.
The Azkals take on hosts Myanmar on Monday, Palestine on Wednesday, Bangladesh on Friday.
“We’re still waiting for permit from the information ministry. Mahigpit kasi yung junta sa live telecast,” said Diana Sayson, an ABS-CBN producer. “Walang TV coverage ang news kasi bawal magdala ng camera. We are coordinating with the Myanmar Football Federation.”
Media is strictly controlled in Myanmar which filters bad news, criticisms, report of natural disasters and sometimes enforces a news blackout whenever the national football team loses, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation’s country profile.
Another problem facing ABS-CBN, which will broadcast the games on Studio 23, is that even if it gets the green light from Myanmar to tap into its government station, it may not still be able to air the games live on March 23 and 25 because the schedule of the football matches, set at 5 p.m. (Manila time), conflict with timeslots of the PBA games which are scheduled every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday set around the same time.
“Maybe, mag-live muna sa Balls (cable channel also owned by ABS-CBN) for the two playdates,” Sayson said. “Malabo mag-give way ang PBA. It’s like apples and oranges.”
The Philippine Football Federation and ABS-CBN forged a deal early this year allowing the TV station to cover all Azkals games in the Challenge Cup.
Studio 23 aired the Azkals’ home-and-away pre-qualifying series against Mongolia held in Bacolod City and Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
Under the contract, the Azkals get P500,000 share for every coverage of the games on local soil against an international opponent while P250,000 whenever the games are played abroad.
Manila Bulletin
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ABS-CBN should have addressed all these issues much earlier instead of the last minute.
ReplyDeleteIt is common knowledge that Myanmar is ruled by a military junta therefore they should have foreseen or anticipated such a problem.
Whether be it studio 23 or balls abs-cbn must keep their commitment to Phil Football
What the tinpot drugdealing dictators in Burma do internally is their own affair. But denying other nations the right to watch live TV coverage of a football game is totally unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell was the AFC doing granting this anal orifice of a country the right to stage an international tournament? Oh I forgot, there are also some very dodgy characters on the AFC Board.
^^^
ReplyDeleteThe football game is hosted by Myanmar... it kinda is covered by the term "internal affair".
Americans can't have abortions in the Philippines even if it is totally legal in the US. Relating to this with your logic, it's like saying that we're denying their rights. Maybe that's a bad example but bottom line is that it's held in their country so it's covered by their laws.
And dodgy as FIFA/AFC may be, FIFA's principle is international brotherhood. They allow Myanmar equal opportunity to host the tournament just like they allow equal opportunity to North Korea to play in their tournaments. That doesn't happen in the UN.
it is what is.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazingly tolerant people you are. This isn't a moral or political issue; it's simply a
ReplyDeletematter of allowing a few cameras to beam a football game to the nations competing - a courtesy that's extended by every other FIFA member. Or must the decisions of evil, repressive
unelected regimes always be respected?
Well, the ASEAN is criticised for being tolerant of Myanmar's military junta. So I guess it's just one of those things that...I don't know...like saNDugo said, "it is what it is" ... all we can really do is hope that the matches are aired.
ReplyDeleteIt's not really a matter of "evil, repressive unelected regimes" being respected. It's more of "it's not our country so we have no control over it".
stampeding and raging bulls in my heart! but...it is what it is.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't there be at least live online match updates, like the kind you can get for premier league and champions league games?
ReplyDelete"sometimes enforces a news blackout whenever the national football team loses"
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that there will a news blackout when the Philippines plays Myanmar. Haha
But about the live match updates: If it's not based on social networking sites, there could be... Social networking sites are outlawed in Myanmar if I'm not mistaken
Well they'd better get a win worthy of a media blackout in Myanmar... haha
ReplyDelete