News media are ‘vital stakeholders’ for major sporting events, report says

News media are “vital stakeholders” for major events and should play a central role in all future discussions over planning and delivery, a Government report has said.

The recommendation is one of a number made by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee in a new report into major cultural and sporting events, published on Wednesday.

As part of the report’s conclusions, it was found existing arrangements for bidding processes and for news media reporting of major events are insufficient.

The DCMS committee accepted the way in which the media cover major events, and the pressures on them doing so, are changing.

Director of BBC Sport Barbara Slater told the committee “an all-time record” of more than 100 million people had accessed a wide range of content digitally for the Tokyo Olympics and 75m for last summer’s delayed Euro 2020 football tournament.

The News Media Coalition is an international not for profit organisation which works to safeguard the news sector from arbitrary controls or restrictions on newsgathering, news distribution, copyright ownership and content use. Members include major publishing houses and national and news international agencies.

NMC chief executive Andrew Moger told the DCMS committee there was “a huge disconnect” between news consumption expectations and the way those were able to be delivered, with the market for rights not having moved on and as such “does not take account of patterns of consumption and the growth of the digital platforms”.

During oral evidence to the DCMS committee, concerns were also raised over the reduction in news opportunities at major organised events during the Covid-19 pandemic, which initially saw sport resume behind closed doors.

The NMC felt this was becoming part of a longer attempt by professional sports clubs and governing bodies “to reduce media freedom in relation to the generation of news media coverage”.

A more positive way forward would be to involve the news media “as soon as possible” in preparations for the events to provide “a voice and direct involvement in practical planning”, Moger told the DCMS committee.

The ‘Gold Framework’ which sets out the landscape for major sporting events across the UK, the roles of the key partners and stakeholders responsible for support and delivery, was launched in 2015 and then updated in 2018, while Tracey Crouch was Sports Minister.

The DCMS committee said this should be reviewed for a fresh publication – and must be done in full consultation with news media organisations.

“The news media are vital stakeholders for major events, amplifying them at home and abroad and delivering greater value for money. Moreover, beyond this purely instrumentalist role, there is an intrinsic value to free and reliable reporting of major events,” the report said.

“It is, therefore, concerning to hear of increased restrictions on reporting at major events and that the news media’s requirements are not always fully considered in event planning and delivery.

“DCMS and UK Sport should, in consultation with news media organisations, update the Gold Framework to set out requirements for publicly funded events to protect media freedoms and consider coverage requirements from bid stage and throughout the lifecycle of each event.”

It has been recommended the Government should review the protections currently offered under the ‘listed events’ regime – which is intended to ensure that certain events of national interest are available to view live and for free by the widest possible audience – so they are extended to digital and on-demand content.

The report also said broadcast and news media can help to unite the country around an event, such as at the London 2012 Olympics and could do so again for the upcoming 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The NMC welcomed the reports findings and expressed its continued commitment to support future dialogue.

“The News Media Coalition congratulates MPs for recommending that press freedom should be taken into account when major events are being organised,” Moger said.

“The independent News Media plays an integral part in telling the story – be it a sport event or political occasion – and we need conditions in place that allows our news operations to flourish.”