Anda di halaman 1dari 1

12 theSun | WEDNESDAY JANUARY 28 2009

speak up!

FOR the first time, the final of the

Getting rich in the name of sports


Malaysian Hockey League played
in Kuala Lumpur last month, was
telecast live by Astro Super Sports.
The Malaysian Hockey Federation
received a princely sum for the rights
and Astro sold the feed to other broad-
casters in the region, in what would
have been the perfect business deal. because the ministry en- servants become editors have a positive impact on all month. Astro’s subscriber base
It may have not run into billions of tered into a 2+1 agreement instead of being admin- sports-loving Malaysians, who stands at 8.3 million currently.
ringgit as in the case of the Olympics in 2007 which means there istrators of government would enjoy following their he- But you should also take note
or the Football World Cup, but it was is no way out for us until policies and safeguarding roes on a show with renowned that if we were to set the view-
a good start for Malaysian hockey mid-2010! And that in turn our funds? high production standards,” ing threshold to be less than 10
which is heavily dependent on gov- means, taxpayers’ money She said that the min- Bernama quoted her as saying. minutes, the viewership figure
ernment funds for its survival. to the tune of RM30 million istry’s aim to create sport- Are we spending large sums would be bigger as it will also
Therefore, the inevitable question is going down the drain as ing icons and to promote of money on creating an audi- increase correspondingly.”
we have to ask is: Why are we (the such a programme does the sporting culture in ence or should we be spending Assuming there were 20
taxpayers) of Malaysia paying mil- not help raise the standard Malaysia would be better money to train our athletes to such broadcasts in December,
lions to ESPN for the “Sports Centre of sports in the country. served with this partner- become superstars? each programme was watched
Malaysia” which is telecast daily for The national news ship. This is intriguing The ministry’s secretary- by an average of 21,600. And
30 minutes, restricted to a Malay- agency, Bernama, in a CitizenNades indeed. Icons can only general, Datuk Mohamed Yasin for each programme, taxpayers
sian audience? Above that, on the report dated Feb 13, 2007 by R. Nadeswaran be created if our sports- Salleh, who signed the agree- paid RM38,461 (RM10 million
average, we get an average of four quoted the then Youth and men and sportswomen ment, must have a plausible divided by 260 broadcasts a
minutes of Malaysian news. And for Sports Minister Datuk Aza- succeed in the courts explanation for entering into year). So, in short, it costs about
such pittance, we are parting with lina Othman as saying that ministry and playing fields. You can’t possibly such a deal. Foremost on his RM1.78 to reach a single viewer
RM10 million annually. Attempts by officials would be part of the ESPN make losers as icons through a televi- mind should have been: How per day. The release went on
the new administration to review the Sports Centre editorial team, thus sion programme. does it help to raise the stand- to quote Youth and Sports
agreement with a view to stop such enabling them to decide on the news “We are confident that the Malay- ard of sports? Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri
wasteful spending hit a brick wall content. Since when did our civil sian version of the sports centre will When the people (read Yaakob as saying that “the aim
Parliament) approve funds for of our partnership with ESS has
the ministry, it is meant to be always been to raise interest in
used to enhance the standard sports in Malaysia and we are
of sports and help our sports- pleased to see that SportsCenter
men and sportswomen achieve Malaysia has had such a posi-
greater heights. It was never tive impact on the sports-loving
meant to be used to build a fan Malaysian public. We are confi-
base or cheer-leaders. dent that SportsCenter Malaysia
But then, the money came will continue to promote even
from the allocation to the Na- greater interest in local sports
tional Sports Council, whose in 2009.”
officials, including its director- However, when met at his
general did not do anything to office last Wednesday, the
prevent such a colossal waste minister refuted the claims
of funds. Did Datuk Zulkeples made by ESPN stating that he
Embong stand up and object “never made any comment to
to such a deal on the
grounds that it was
beyond the scope and
objectives of the coun-
When the people
cil? Shouldn’t he, as (read Parliament)
the guardian of public
funds meant for sports, approve funds for the
have put his foot down
and said “no” to funds
ministry, it is meant to
being used to create be used to enhance the
cheer-leaders?
As if to rub salt into standard of sports and
the wound, two weeks
ago ESPN issued a
help our sportsmen and
press release headlined sportswomen achieve
“ESPN STAR Sports’
SportsCenter Malaysia greater heights. It was
Attracts 56% of Malay-
sian Pay TV Viewers”
never meant to be used
among others, claim- to build a fan base or
ing that “SportsCenter
Malaysia, the localised cheer-leaders.”
version of ESPN’s re-
nowned, award-winning news that effect.” It has come to our
programme SportsCenter, is knowledge that a second press
fast becoming the must-watch release was issued, omitting the
sports news show in Malaysia minister’s comments.
with more than half of all pay So, what is happening? Can
TV viewers having tuned in.” someone tell us the truth? Are
“As ESPN STAR Sports’ (ESS) taxpayers yet again going to be
flagship news programme, victims of spin-doctoring? For
SportsCenter Malaysia was RM4 million, we can set up
launched in April 2007 and has our own state-of-the-art studio
been watched by an audience and for another million, we can
of 4.1 million, of which nearly have the best talents to produce
half a million have watched sports programmes and sell
this edition exclusively. Within them to television stations. By
that, a large number are young the way, why did the ministry
Malaysians aged 15-24, point- not opt for government or pri-
ing to the possibility of a group vate terrestrial TV?
of passionate Malaysians that Astro does not have the
are very keen on following the reach that these stations have,
progress of local sports,” the and indeed if the objective
release said. was to reach Malaysian sports
This is further than the fans, why go through a satellite
truth. AC Nielsen which car- broadcaster? Why didn’t some-
ries out surveys and research one do research on viewership,
on viewership had this to offer reach and audience before
when asked for viewing figures committing the government to
of the programme. The compa- such a rotten deal?
ny’s senior manager of com-
munications, Michelle Liew
in a reply to an email query, R. Nadeswaran is all for enhanc-
said: “Based on your request, ing the standard of sports in the
my colleague has generated a country. But if funds meant for
cumulative viewers report on such programmes are hijacked
ESPN SportsCenter Malaysia for syiok sendiri projects, sports
for December 2008. From the will remain where it presently is
report it shows that 432,000 of – at the bottom. He is editor (spe-
Astro subscribers have tuned in cial and investigative reporting)
to ESPN SportsCenter Malaysia at theSun and can be reached at:
for at least 10 minutes in that citizen-nades@thesundaily.com

Anda mungkin juga menyukai