Media Release: Sunday 12 February, 2017
Foxtel emphasises risks of piracy
Accepts illegal streamers’ apologies while stressing the threat to local sport and content production
Foxtel today announced that, following the illegal Facebook stream of the highly anticipated February 3 MAIN EVENT boxing match featuring Anthony Mundine vs Danny Green, it has made contact with the two individuals responsible for broadcasting a pirated stream of the event.
Foxtel CEO, Peter Tonagh, said, “Foxtel has been in touch with Mr. Sharpe and Mr. Hevers following last weekend’s illegal Facebook live stream of the Mundine vs. Green match and we’ve expressed our great disappointment with their unlawful activities.
“Rather than taking legal action, we decided to take the opportunity to educate both of them about the significant harm such actions bring to the production of local Australian content, including live sports.
“We have given the individuals the opportunity to formally apologise via a public social media post, acknowledging the gravity of the situation, in the hopes that more people will learn that copyright theft is not a victimless crime and something that should be taken very seriously.
“We are pleased that both Mr. Sharpe and Mr. Hevers have taken us up on the opportunity and have published an apology and acknowledgment of wrongdoing on their Facebook pages.
“Illegal streaming and file sharing of any kind impacts the viability of the entire content industry, and threatens the livelihoods of the thousands of people employed by it, including athletes, actors, technicians, editors, caterers, set designers and many others.
“In addition, if revenue opportunities are undermined sports fans will suffer as sports presenters and promoters will have difficulty affording the costs of staging these fights and other events.”
-Brad