MUMBAI: Malaysia has come out with new guidelines that mandates broadcast rights holders of sports events of ?national significance? to share content with free-to-air channels in order to provide widest possible coverage and enable all citizens to access the content.

The broadcaster who acquired the broadcasting rights to the sports events of national significance shall offer such rights to FTA broadcasters who will have the first right of refusal over the sports events of national significance?s broadcasting rights, the Minister of Communications and Culture said in its notification.

Whenever there are no FTA broadcasters acquiring the broadcasting rights, the broadcasters shall offer such rights to pay-TV broadcasters. The offer of the broadcasting rights shall be based on reasonable commercial terms, the notification added.

Talking to reporters after attending a launch event, IC&C Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said, "Sports that have a mass appeal like the Olympics, badminton, football and other major sporting events would not be allowed to be monopolised by any one station but such broadcast content must be shared."

Among the sporting events that have been accorded the status of national significance includes Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and South East Asian Games.

The broadcasters will also have to share final matches of Badminton events like Thomas Cup, Uber Cup, and BWF Super Series; Football events like AFC Asian Cup, Fifa World Cup and English Premier League among others.

According to analysts in the country, the biggest beneficiary of the new content sharing rules will be Telekom Malaysia while satellite television operator Astro is likely to take a big hit.

Meanwhile, new digital cable TV operator Asian Broadcasting Network has welcomed the new rules contending that the it will lead to a stronger interest in sports among Malaysians.

"We look forward to more comprehensive details on how the collaboration framework could operate in the industry as well as regular regulatory review and industry discussion on how to move this forward," a Telekom Malaysia spokesman said.