Kirch Group is now selling UK broadcasting rights to the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals which it purchased in 1996 from FIFA. Some of the UK press have already begun to paint Kirch, a German media company, as the enemy, threatening to deny every UK resident the right to watch World Cup football for free by selling the exclusive rights to Pay TV or worse still on a pay per view basis. A general election looms and it is not surprising that Culture Secretary Chris Smith has been trying to re-assure the public that current UK law ensures that World Cup matches must be shown by a free to air broadcaster. The relevant legislation has been approved by the European Commission as apparently complying with European law. It is interesting to note that the Kirch Group have simply stated that they may sell matches apart from those involving UK national teams, the final, semi-finals and opening match (the "Prime Matches"), to the highest bidding broadcaster, provided that there is no breach of the
