Aussie media threaten RWC boycott

Australian journalists may have to write their Rugby World Cup reports from outside the stadium if a disagreement over strict reporting rules is not resolved. Photo / Richard Robinson

Australian news organisations are threatening to drop coverage of the Rugby World Cup unless rules around reporting are loosened.

The Newspaper Publishers' Association (NPA) - which represents both Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd and Fairfax Australia - says it is rejecting the International Rugby Board's (IRB) accreditation terms and will not send accredited journalists to New Zealand.

Chief executive Mark Hollands said that the IRB's policies on the use of World Cup video were too restrictive, and demanded that publishers sign away their rights.

The IRB will only allow accredited newspapers to use small quantities of video online, and has also banned advertising next to video footage.

Leading Australian publishers News Ltd and Fairfax Media have both told the IRB they will not sign accreditation documents in this form.

Mr Hollands said if no resolution was made, Australian journalists and photographers will either not come to New Zealand or will write their reports from outside the stadiums.

"Newspaper publishers are not prepared to put themselves at a commercial disadvantage to non-accredited media organisations, which would not be bound by the arbitrary time restrictions on video footage and would be free to place advertising with their journalism."

Mr Hollands said it was a "regrettable" situation that he hoped would be resolved before the tournament began.