Melita accuses Go of using delaying tactics

Melita has accused Go of using delaying tactics to stall constructive discussions on the sharing of sports channels among pay-TV platforms.

In a statement it said that GO's attempts to delay and complicate discussions on the broadcasting of Serie A, Premier League, UEFA Champions League and other sports was extremely harmful and dangerous for football fans, consumers and Maltese families.

In a statement issued earlier today Go said Melita continued to insist on its position not to include access to infrastructure as part of the discussions of giving access to third party television providers to premium television content.

Melita said that by using delaying tactics to stall constructive discussions on the sharing of sports channels amongst pay-TV platforms, Go was only reinforcing its belief that consumers in Malta and Gozo had to pay in the region of €60 per month to watch Serie A, Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

“This is the second time that Go has blatantly refused Melita's proposal on this matter in an act which Melita can only describe as yet another display by Go to protect its own financial interests at the expense of consumers.”

Melita said that even before the last round of bidding for TV sports rights last Autumn, Melita had approached Go to discuss ways how to make premium sports content available to consumers at affordable prices and with easier access.

Back then, Go had refused Melita's offer to enter discussions on the subject and last Thursday, Go again refused a very detailed financial proposal presented by Melita explaining the prices Melita was willing to pay as part of a wholesale agreement between the operators to share sports channels.

Melita said it will continue to cooperate with the Parliamentary Social Affairs Committee and all other interested authorities to put an end to this unfair practice and damaging approach adopted by Go against the interests of the Maltese islands and consumers.

It encouraged the committee to pursue the matter until it was resolved in the best interests of the consumer.

Melita accused Go of misleading the public and the SAC when it confused the issues of sharing content and opening a network.

“There is no correlation between a requirement to wholesale premium channels and one to share infrastructure or open a network.

“The driver for the former is the uniqueness and importance of the content, whereas in the case of the latter it is an inability to replicate a network that underlies a requirement to provide access,” Melita said.

In the situation at hand, it said, certain content iwass unique and important to both Melita's and Go's customers.

The same situation, however, did not apply to infrastructure.

Go had the ability to replicate whatever Melita had. It was possible for Go to have as many channels as it wanted and not having that many channels was a result of its investment choices.

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