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LONDON International news agencies including say they will not cover this year's Indian Premier League cricket tournament later this month because of new IPL rules restricting where and how tournament news can be distributed.
The News Media Coalition, the international body that monitors attempts by sporting events to control news coverage, said a number of media organisations were concerned about the IPL rules.
“Newspapers in India and abroad are also known to be reconsidering their plans for coverage,” the NMC said in a statement. “As many publishers around the world over rely upon news agencies for news material, the stance taken by the IPL can only serve to limit news and free promotional value of their event and brand.”
News agencies declined to cover the inaugural IPL event in 2008 but covered it in 2009 when it was held in South Africa due to security concerns in India. Organisers have toughened conditions for the 2010 tournament.
“If media organisations feel forced not to attend this year, it would set back the positive goodwill and relationship which characterised the event last year,” the NMC said.
News agencies want the IPL to remove or change rules that forbid distribution of tournament coverage to subscribers whose business affiliations or publishing methods IPL finds objectionable.
The media also object to the limits IPL seeks to impose on the frequency of news and photo updates posted on the Internet while matches are in progress.
News agencies such as the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse will not be covering the event this year.
