IRB Acts Like Big Brother

The IRB is trying to restrict press coverage of the 2007 rugby world cup in France by setting out limitations on the number of photos and amount of video coverage that can be shown on the internet.

You can read the full details at WorldCupWeb but essentially the International Rugby Board are saying that only 30 seconds of video footage, 5 photos per half and 2 photos from extra time may be used on news websites.

Needless to say the World Association of Newspapers (who already defeated similar moves by football's governing body FIFA over the World Cup 2006) are up in arms about this.

For my own part, this kind of stupidity just makes me laugh. If I've attended - as an individual - a match at France RWC 2007, then I can publish as many photos of that match as I like on this blog. I'm the copyright holder in those photos and no one can stop me. But the IRB want to stop legitimate news organisations from doing the same thing in case it "affects its commercial contracts with licensees who pay for the rights to show the World Cup live."

I think the IRB need to understand how the internet actually works before they try to play silly buggers. Because I'm damn sure I'll be posting YouTube footage of highlights of most matches on this very blog. I'm even more sure they'll be longer than 30 seconds.