Sport on TV is often all about the money

With the FIFA World Cup just around the corner, the question of media right is in the news again. In the United Kingdom, access to the world’s biggest single-sport event is available to all on a free-to-air basis. The subscriber television channels would pay a small fortune for the exclusive rights to the tournament, but it’s protected by the laws of the land.

The issue of sports broadcasting is a hot potato for many people, with several high-profile sporting events simply unavailable to those who have only got access to terrestrial TV channels. Premier League football, test match cricket, US Open tennis and golf and some international football matches are just some of the showpiece occasions which are shown on satellite channels only.

File sharing is a major concern

Media and the internet – It really is a love-hate relationship. There have been several stories in the news media recently about illegal downloading of music on the Internet. It’s a controversial issue, with many famous names in the business offering their opinions on the validity of those who do it. A 2009 report declared that 95% of file sharing in the United Kingdom was unauthorised, so the process is likely to remain in the news for many years.

Picture quality is all about technology

In recent years, advances in technology have led to major changes in media uses. High Definition TV, for example, is becoming increasingly popular, providing viewers with crystal-clear pictures that have never previously been available. Wildlife programmes and sporting events are examples of genres that will benefit greatly from this new process.