Though K+ and other television broadcasters have not reached an agreement on sharing broadcast rights of English Premier League, Hanoi TV has announced that it will air some EPL matches free of charge. Though the pay-to-view cable channel K+ and other television broadcasters have not reached an agreement on sharing broadcast rights of the English Premier League (EPL), Hanoi TV (HTV) has announced that it will air EPL matches on Saturdays and Mondays free of charge.

HTV revealed that it has bought the broadcast right of EPL matches on Saturday and Monday (accounting for two thirds of the total matches in one season) in the next three seasons at a high price.

“HTV patiently negotiated for several months. Finally we decided to buy the broadcast right for EPL matches on Saturday and Monday. The price was not cheap. We are not sharing with Channel K+. HTV aims to serve the people. This can be seen as our gift to football fans on the occasion of Hanoi’s 1000^th anniversary,” explained HTV general director Tran Gia Thai.

HTV will air the EPL matches free of charge, without advertisements, on HTV1 and HTV2.  As HTV’s broadcast signal is strong, audiences in neighbouring provinces up to 80 kilometers from the capital can watch these matches. Others can enjoy them through their ordinary cable television service.

Thai said HTV will allow cable providers to transmit these matches provided that they do not raise monthly subscription charges. In case K+ shares the broadcast right for matches on Sunday, Thai said, HTV would not accept their advertisements.

HTV has acquired the right to air EPL’s Saturday and Monday matches from 2010 through 2013. It will air five to seven matches a week.

At the same time, HCM City Television Director Huynh Van Nam said the southern broadcaster is also about to complete the purchase of EPL broadcast rights and it too will also air matches free of charge on Saturday and Monday like Hanoi Television.

Thus, the Singapore firm MP&Silva has succeeded in selling multiple broadcast rights for the same football events.

In related news, K+ sent a dispatch to other television stations offering its cooperation, as follows: “Under the guidance of the Ministry of Information and Communications, VSTV reaffirms our goodwill in supplying K+ on cable television systems. The EPL will start as of August 14. We would like to negotiate with you (broadcasters) to early sign contracts as soon as possible to serve the audience.”

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