UK antitrust watchdog fines sports broadcasters $5.2 million over freelance pay
Source: news.source.channelnewsasia
Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) fined four sports broadcast and production companies a total of about 4 million pounds ($5.2 million) for sharing sensitive information about fees for freelance camera operators and sound technicians. The companies involved were BT, IMG, ITV, and the BBC, with Sky being exempt from fines for notifying the regulator before the investigation began. The CMA found 15 instances of unlawful information sharing among the companies.
Key Points
The CMA fined four companies a total of about 4 million pounds ($5.2 million) for sharing sensitive information on freelance pay.
The companies involved admitted to breaking the law by colluding on pay rates for freelancers.
BT, IMG, ITV, and the BBC received discounts on their penalties for assisting the regulator.
Sky was exempt from fines as it notified the CMA before the investigation started.
The CMA found 15 instances of unlawful information sharing among the companies.
The investigation into sports broadcasters began in 2022 and a separate probe into non-sports TV production and broadcasting was closed.
