نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
Objective
In countries that have created and run the media on a national basis, determining the legal position of the broadcasting institution is very sensitive and special because, on the one hand, state-owned media are not interested in paying for broadcasting rights on a large scale, and on the other hand, sports organizations and clubs are looking for income from media broadcasting rights because broadcasting rights are the largest source of income for many sports clubs and organizations (Elsan, 2013, Mancini, 2020). In Iran, the issue of broadcasting rights has also become a serious issue that there is still no consensus on, and for this reason it has become a point of discussion for many sports stakeholders. The majority of the media in Iran are national and under the control of the government, so there is a need for a comparative study on the broadcasting rights of several countries in question and similar in this field. On the other hand, the evolution in the media consumption behavior of audiences, especially the younger generation, has caused media and sports policymakers to need to review traditional models and design new frameworks for regulating digital broadcasting rights. Such a necessity requires that a comparative study of the experiences of different countries in the field of sports media broadcasting rights provide a model for improving and formulating domestic policies in Iran. This research seeks to answer the question of what are the policies and legal frameworks for sports media broadcasting rights in selected countries?
Research Methodology
From the perspective of the objective, the present study is applied research that aims to analyze and evaluate the policies and legal structures related to sports media broadcasting rights in selected countries. This research is a comparative-qualitative study in terms of its nature and implementation method and uses the method of documentary analysis and comparative analysis to examine various aspects of sports media broadcasting rights in traditional and digital contexts in different legal systems. The research community includes legal systems related to sports media broadcasting rights in selected countries. The selection of countries was purposeful, and the selection criteria included a mainly governmental or governmental-oriented media structure (to adapt to the situation in Iran), having distinct experiences in regulating traditional and digital broadcasting rights, and diversity in legal systems and regulatory models. Accordingly, the countries of Iran, France, China, Russia, Turkey, North Korea, Spain, and Saudi Arabia were selected as the main examples for comparative analysis. Data analysis was conducted using the method of qualitative comparative analysis and qualitative content analysis of documents. To ensure the validity of the documents and data, only official, scientific, and internationally recognized sources have been used. Also, an effort has been made to increase the reliability and validity of the analysis by cross-comparing data from multiple sources.
Findings
A comparative study of selected countries shows that media rights in sports are not only an economic tool for financing sports clubs and organizations, but also act as a political, cultural, and even ideological tool. Therefore, its structure in different countries is a function of the media governance model, political system, degree of privatization, and level of maturity of the media market. In general, the Spanish and French models are ideal models for reforming the structure of broadcasting rights in Iran, which are transparent, centralized, competitive, and fairly distributed. The Saudi model in investment, internationalization, and digitalization can provide useful strategic experiences for Iran. China, Russia, and North Korea are examples of excessive concentration and absence of media competition that Iran should avoid repeating. Turkey, despite some challenges, has taken important steps in privatization of the broadcasting rights market and the entry of international media. In terms of its current structure, Iran is most similar to Russia and China, but in terms of capabilities, it can move towards a hybrid France-Spain model.
Discussion & Conclusion
This study proposes a transition from the current monopolistic and quasi-governmental model to a centralized-specialized model with the participation of various stakeholders and an independent regulatory body. Also, the active presence of digital platforms, the design of multi-dimensional broadcasting contracts (television, online, mobile), and entry into the international market through the export of broadcasting rights for national competitions can be effective in the path of sustainable development of the Iranian sports economy. Finally, it is necessary for Iranian policymakers to use legal, institutional, and technological capacities to provide the basis for the realization of a smart, competitive, and participatory sports media market. A market that benefits not only clubs and fans, but also the entire sports community.
کلیدواژهها English
