According to industry reports, the legal disagreement between MultiChoice and eMedia has been successfully settled, ending their ongoing legal proceedings. eMedia’s legal executive, Philippa Rafferty, confirmed this resolution in a statement.
The conflict began when MultiChoice removed four of eMedia’s channels—eExtra, eMovies, eMovies Extra, and eToonz—from its platform in the aftermath of a Competition Tribunal hearing in 2022. Fast-forward to the 2023 Rugby World Cup; MultiChoice’s SuperSport and the SABC struck a last-minute deal reportedly worth US$3.1 million to broadcast sixteen live matches, including all Springbok games.
Despite this agreement, rugby fans could also access the matches on various other platforms in South Africa, such as StarSat and digital terrestrial television. eMedia argued that broadcasting rights on a non-exclusive basis could lead to a significant drop in value, potentially exceeding 80%.
This prompted eMedia to escalate the matter to the Competition Commission, although they ultimately decided to withdraw their complaint shortly after.
Although not explicitly naming the legal dispute, it is widely believed that the SABC was referencing the ongoing issues between eMedia and MultiChoice regarding the sub-licensing of broadcasting rights for free-to-air sports. Both broadcasters are under pressure to find a resolution, ensuring that all South Africans have the opportunity to watch their national sports teams.
