Sydney: Global news agencies have boycotted coverage of the first cricket Test between Australia and New Zealand that started today because of conditions imposed by organisers.

The agencies - Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images - have also suspended coverage of all Australian cricket news until further notice over demands made by the governing body, Cricket Australia (CA).

"AFP deeply regrets that it is unable to cover the Australian cricket season as planned," said AFP chairman and chief executive Pierre Louette.

"This is in particular a pity for the cricket fans around the world who will not be able to follow their sport through the high-quality international news agency photos and news reports they have come to rely on over many decades."

CA has demanded the right to see the agencies lists of web clients and to veto any they decide should not receive pictures and text coverage of the Tests.

In addition, CA refuses to allow agencies to distribute to some legitimate non-sports magazines, a move the agencies say would force them to discriminate between clients.

"At stake is our editorial integrity and the trust that news organisations across the globe have placed in us to supply the news in a fair, balanced and independent fashion for their readers," Louette said.

"The restrictions that Cricket Australia wishes to impose on us amount to an outside body dictating how and to whom we should distribute news."

Louette said that AFP, as part of the News Media Coalition of more than 30 media organisations, remained ready to resume discussions with CA on covering the season "without the imposition of unreasonable restrictions".
Source : PTI