Former FA executive director David Davies has been chosen by UK Culture Secretary Andy Burnham to review 'crown jewels' list that guarantees major sporting events are broadcast on free-to-air TV.
According to UK newspaper, The Guardian, Davies will head an advisory group of sporting and broadcasting experts who will consult with media organisations and other interested parties. The group is expected to report by the second half of 2009 to Burnham, who has ultimate say over the list.
The department for culture, media and sport said that the review will cover "the principle of having a list, the criteria against which events may be listed and the content of any list itself".
The current list is divided into two groups - group A, which requires live coverage, and group B which protects highlights.Under existing rules A-listed events such as the Olympics, Wimbledon, the football World Cup and the FA Cup final must be shown live on free-to-air TV. The second B-list tier, including the Ryder Cup, England's home cricket Test matches and the Commonwealth Games, guarantees highlights on free to air TV.
There were calls for the the protected A-list events to be reviewed in September when England's away World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia were aired by pay-TV operator Setanta, but no deal was struck for highlights rights on free-to-air TV - meaning millions of fans missed out.
Davies, who had a 23-year career as a BBC reporter before joining the FA, told The Guardian: "I go into the review with an open mind, and well aware of a rapidly changing broadcasting landscape, with both free and pay channels competing. It will be essential to recruit a panel from as wide a spectrum as possible, and certainly to ensure that the views of all the nations that make up the UK are represented. We will want to hear from the wider public as well as the various governing bodies and broadcasters. I have been asked by the Secretary of State to act speedily and intend to do so".
