"VALLETTA, Malta (di-ve news)--January 17, 2006 -- 1000CET--A deal struck by Melita Cable over TV rights to broadcast all 64 World Cup matches was brought up in parliament by Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.

Speaking during the adjournment, Dr.Pullicino Orlando said that this event should not be limited to the Cable subscribers only. "

World Cup TV rights brought up in parliament by di-ve news

Comments: First it was the US Congress authorizing millions (update: 1.5 billion) of dollars to help poor Americans convert their TV sets to HDTV. George Will appropriately called it the "No Couch Potato Left Behind" bill.

Now we have Malta espousing a similar mentality with a Couch Potato Fan's Bill of Rights. Every sports fan shall have the right to view the World Cup, no matter how poor.

"The European Convention on Trans-frontier TV states that "each party retains the right to take measures to ensure that a broadcaster within its jurisdiction does not broadcast on an exclusive basis events which are regarded by that party as being of major importance for society in such a way as to deprive a substantial proportion of the public in that party the possibility of following such events by live or deferred coverage on free television.""

This isn't to say that these events shouldn't be shown to those who can't afford it or not. That issue is actually beside the point. The problem is that the governments are getting involved with this issue and defining it as a "right to TV". Even if government officials do not use these precise terms, that seems to be the intent behind both these bills. It's scary that TV is so important and so ingrained in our culture now that the right to TV is seen as essential, while other rights, such as the right to food, shelter, and a job are under attack. It's a TV in every European pot too.

Of course, I do believe in people's rights to play soccer (football)!