Media coverage concessions for Rugby World Cup

The coalition had been seeking a resolution to the restrictions proposed on media access, distribution and usage by the organisers of the 2007 Rugby World Cup. The concessions are:

• All photo copyright and credits rest with the photographer and/or his company
  
• Media organisations are free to sell photographs to the public for non commercial use
  
• RWCL has no right to use any photograph taken at the tournament and must enter into agreement with the photographer and/or his company for the use of any photograph
  
• All media organisations are free to overlay text on photographs
  
• RWCL has agreed to a new process through which any accreditation breaches are dealt with
  
• RWCL has confirmed that mobile users can access text and photos on websites using their handsets and that sports text alerts can be sent to the handsets during matches
  
• Photo agencies can send an unlimited number of photographs to their clients
  
• RWCL has clarified that nothing in the Terms and Conditions can be interpreted as restricting or preventing normal journalistic activities including expressions of comment
  
• RWCL has agreed to the proposal put forward by The News Media Coalition that all media organisations will adhere to a 200 live-photograph per match limit for all public facing websites for the duration of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
  
• RWCL agreed to meet with The News Media Coalition, represented by the three key news agencies (AFP, AP and Reuters) on behalf of the Coalition and their clients, on Monday 10 September in Paris, to ensure that there is a clear and agreed understanding on news organisations' rights to freely use their own audio-visual material.

  Said the coalition in a press statement issued yesterday, “The News Media Coalition remain wholly united in their commitment to ensuring the freedom of the press and the editorial integrity of their news organisations is upheld and respected.

  “The News Media Coalition are delighted to now be in a position to provide the world's media, their customers and fans with premium Rugby World Cup 2007 content, across text, photographs and moving imagery from their expert editorial teams on the ground in France and around the world.”