A week into the World Cup, the dispute between Egypt and Al-Jazeera over transmission interference remains unresolved, Inas Mazhar reports Some pictures drew a blank, some went dead while still others started showing highlights of the game while the same match was in progress. Few people seemed to know what was happening, but whatever it was, it didn't quite mesh with the opening game of the World Cup, the world's most watched sporting event. But it soon became apparent that the source of the problem was a war of the air waves. Despite the ongoing verbal tug-of-war between the two protagonists, Egypt and Al-Jazeera TV channel, no official or legal action has been taken so far, according to Nile Sports Channel Chairman Mustafa Hussein. The incident occurred when the feed and signal of the opening match between host South Africa and Mexico on 11 June literally blew a fuse. Viewers across the Middle East and North Africa region were left unable to see a clear picture of the match. Al-Jazeera Sports Channel is FIFA's rights holder to televise the World Cup matches in the region. "We have been both harmed and damaged by this interruption and we, as the Egyptian Radio and TV Union, believe that we did not get what we paid for and have not been granted all our due rights stipulated in the contract with Al-Jazeera," Hussein told Al-Ahram Weekly. On the other hand, Al-Jazeera claims that Egyptian Radio and TV Union interrupted the signal while the opening match was taking place. "We did not interrupt the signal. As soon as the interruption occurred, we shifted to another frequency or master on NileSat in order to have a better transmission. This is a privilege we have since ERTU is the owner of NileSat. We asked the match commentator and presenter to notify viewers so they could watch the match in comfort. But it doesn't mean it was planned," Hussein said. He added, "We and Al-Jazeera now await the investigation which we have asked the International Communications Association to carry out so we can determine where the interruption came from." The day following the match Al-Jazeera fired accusations towards Egypt's way, claiming its Egyptian-managed satellite service carrying its signal was deliberately sabotaged. The Qatari channel was further angered when it suffered another interruption and disruption on 12 June during the Argentina-Nigeria match. Al-Jazeera announced on its official website, aljazeera.net, that it was currently conducting an investigation "to uncover the reasons behind the sabotage of the transmission of the 2010 FIFA World Cup coverage that was deliberately jammed on the NileSat satellite," the announcement said. "Al-Jazeera is taking every possible measure to find those behind the incident and to hold them responsible for the interruption of the signal," it added. Though the Al-Jazeera signal returned in the second half of the opening match, the quality was erratic as viewers were exposed to several commentators speaking in foreign tongues. "We apologise for the interruption that happened. It was because of satellite interference from an unknown source," said Nasser Al-Kholeifi, the managing director of Al-Jazeera Sports. Al-Kholeifi dismissed the widespread belief that the incident had political overtones. "It is not a political programme but a sporting event." A-Kholeifi promised the network's subscribers and viewers that they were working on discovering who was responsible but Egyptian officials and the public believe Al-Jazeera is making much ado about nothing, deliberately spoiling for a fight with the Egyptian government. For years, the network has tended to criticise Egyptian domestic and foreign policy, with Egypt firing right back every time. Angered by Al-Jazeera's accusations, Egypt's Ahmed Anis, chairman of the NileSat Service, has denied the company had anything to do with the disruption or that it had mismanaged the broadcast. Indeed, Anis announced that Egypt had registered an official complaint with the International Communications Association. ERTU Chairman Osama El-Sheikh said Egypt would go further and sue Al-Jazeera. "We must take legal action against those who have accused us, as well as those who failed to provide us with all the rights we bought from them in order to televise 22 matches live." ERTU officials are incensed after Egypt bought the rights to televise 22 of the 64-match package at the World Cup from Al-Jazeera on both its terrestrial Channel 2 and Nile Sport satellite channel in return for LE120 million, only to discover that the Qatari channel had announced it would televise some of the games Egypt had bought on its open channel. "They did not respect their contract with us," El-Sheikh said. Nile Sports Chairman Hussein confirmed the contractual deal between ERTU and Al-Jazeera. "They were only aired on terrestrial channels with a very weak signal and we believe that we have been cheated commercially. Opening the matches for free for everyone to watch after they have sold subscription cards is another thing," said Hussein. Al-Jazeera is being backed by FIFA, football's governing world body. In a statement which appeared on its official website on 12 June, "FIFA is supporting Al-Jazeera in trying to locate the source of the interference in the broadcast of the 2010 World Cup. FIFA is appalled by any action to try to stop Al-Jazeera's authorised transmissions of the World Cup as such actions deprive football fans from enjoying the world game in the region. It is not acceptable to FIFA."
