12 December 2007

Mr James Sutherland
Chief Executive
Cricket Australia
60 Jolimont St
Melbourne Victoria 3002

Dear Mr Sutherland

The Australian Publishers Association (APA) is the peak body that represents more than 90% of the book, electronic and journal publishers in Australia.

I am writing to express our considerable concern that Cricket Australia (CA) in its current accreditation negotiations with the News Media Coalition, has decided to introduce book publishing into its definition of “commercial” when it is clearly understood around the world to be “editorial”, without any consultation or notification to Australian publishers and their international colleagues.

Serendipitously we were made aware of this through the News Media Coalition who assumed we had been consulted by CA.

The major concern for our book publishers is a ban on editorial material created at CA events being used in books, of any nature or content, unless approved by your organisation. CA also reserves the right to charge fees to approved books. Such measures amount to censorship of editorial products and under your definitions, point of sale material promoting a cricket book in a bookshop or book department of a major retail store is placed in jeopardy — hardly a laudable achievement for CA.

These restrictions deny the public who are devoted to cricket (your audience and supporters) in Australia and overseas, an opportunity to share in the fullest possible knowledge and understanding of the game in Australia and Australian cricket’s standing internationally.

Book publishers are significantly disadvantaged in their ability to negotiate with CA because they do not normally seek direct accreditation and rely on their fellow editorial content producers, principally agencies, on whom these restrictions are imposed and who are required by CA to enforce them. CA has further disadvantaged publishers by introducing these restrictions and failing to notify or negotiate with the affected parties.

Books are quite clearly editorial in nature and book publishers should be able to operate without Cricket Australia imposing a censorship regime that denies the legitimacy of editorial businesses, does not uphold editorial freedom and denies the value to sport of publishing activities of all kinds.

We would appreciate a rational and speedy resolution to this matter.

Yours faithfully

Maree McCaskill
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Publishers Association