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PARIS - International news agencies and rugby World Cup organisers have reached an agreement on the thorny issue of video coverage on the internet.
The agreement was reached after a meeting between the agencies - Agence France Presse, Reuters and Associated Press - and Rugby World Cup Limited who had restricted video coverage on to just three minutes a day.
But the tournament organisers have now agreed to scratch that limitation with full coverage being permitted.
"I am very happy," said AFP chairman Pierre Louette. "Finally we have obtained a good agreement on all of the points that were causing problems.
"This agreement should prepare for others in the future which will better reconcile the interests of the organisers and sponsors but without ignoring the needs and rights of the media."
In a statement, the organisers said: "An agreement has been reached between RWCL and international news organisations concerning the online use of audio-visual news material from IRB Rugby World Cup 2007.
"This voluntary agreement came after a meeting in Paris and will enable full news coverage of Rugby World Cup 2007 according to normal editorial judgment.
"Both sides will enter into talks after Rugby World Cup 2007 to discuss ways to ensure that the needs of the tournament, rights holders and the news media can be met."
Media groups and organisers have been at loggerheads in the early stages of the World Cup with the agencies staging a two-day boycott of the tournament last week in protest at editorial restrictions.
The boycott ended just before the opening match kicked off on Saturday (NZ time) when an agreement was reached on the distribution of 200 photographs per match.
- AFP
