Singapore’s MDA directs SingNet to cross-carry Barclays Premier League

The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) has issued a direction to SingNet to cross-carry live Barclays Premier League football matches on rival platforms, Rapid TV News reports.

The mandate will cover the 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons and will mean that SingNet is required to commence the process set out under the country’s Media Market Conduct Code to enable the cross-carriage of the Premier League  programme on arch rival StarHub’s platform.

After what it called a thorough examination of the agreement between SingTel and the Premier League, MDA concluded that the agreement contained certain clauses which prevent or restrict or are likely to prevent or restrict the same content from being acquired or otherwise obtained for transmission on selected platforms in Singapore by other pay-TV retailers.

The regulator noted that move is similar to the arrangement for UEFA Euro 2012, the first piece of exclusive content to fall under the Cross-Carriage Measure.

StarHub had acquired the rights to UEFA Euro 2012 exclusively last year, and the 64 matches were cross-carried on SingNet’s mio TV service.