TNN seeking legal advice as Marathon Committee restricts live streaming coverage of Bermuda Day Half Marathon in favour of delayed broadcast
Unfortunately, due to apparent rights issues, TNN will not be live streaming the 114th Bermuda Day Half Marathon on Friday, after being shut out of what appears to have been a closed bidding process.
In a move that mystifies, the Bermuda Half Marathon Committee has indicated that exclusive rights have been granted to Bermuda Broadcasting Company (BBC) to provide a television broadcast of the prestigious event on Saturday, apparently with only live radio coverage and commentary being offered on the day of the race.
In what smacks of inward dealings and ongoing grudges between certain media outlets organisations such as TNN are being allowed to record no more than ten minutes of the entire race, but with no indication as to whether such recordings can actually be broadcast on race day.
This after race committee president Dr Gina Tucker, in January, had offered payment to TNN to broadcast the event on its Facebook Live platform.
What remains uncertain is whether other broadcasters and/or online creators were ever granted the opportunity to bid for the rights to display the event.
Throwing further shade on the fairness of the process is the fact that a senior member of staff at BBC was, up until a few weeks ago, a member of the event’s committee, raising questions as to ethics and potential conflict of interest in relation to the bidding process.
TNN initially offered Tucker $1,000 to stream the prestigious event and followed this with a matching payment proposal to that off BBC, but were denied out of hand by the committee headed by Tucker in what amounted to a strange and dramatic twist to the situation, considering the January request.
A recent conversation between TNN’s Trevor Lindsay and Tucker raised more questions than answers as to why a contract to video broadcast one of the Island’s premier sporting events on a delayed basis in modern times was even considered, let alone allowed to prevail as the preferred course of action.
Meanwhile, in an earlier email letter sent to TNN by Tucker it was stated:
Broadcast Coverage of Half Marathon Derby 2023
This will serve as written notice that The Bermuda Broadcasting Company Ltd. has been granted exclusive rights to film/video/stream and broadcast television highlights of the 114th Bermuda Half Marathon Derby to be held Friday 26th May at 8:30am. In addition, BBC will provide live radio commentary of the race on radio and television.
Our contract with BBC clearly states that additional broadcast companies are not allowed to carry live coverage of the full event. Companies are allowed to record video but no longer then 10 minutes of the entire race.
Please be advised that a failure to adhere to this notice will result in swift action by the Bermuda Half Marathon Derby Committee, and could in fact jeopardize our future working relationship.
Regards,
Dr Gina Tucker
In response TNN sought and received relevant legal advice and presented a financial sponsorship offer, even attempting to match the amount giving by BBC to the Marathon Committee.
TNN was denied yet again, as indicated in the following correspondence.
Hi Trevor,
As I predicted, The committee is not prepared to entertain any proposals at this time. Sorry about this…I encourage you to be prepared to submit a proposal for next year.
TNN takes this opportunity to wish all our sponsors and supporters a happy Bermuda Day.
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