South African viewers will NOT be able to see the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on 29 April in high definition (HD) on the M-Net HD channel since M-Net has decided not to pursue the broadcasting rights, however, the BBC which will have a standard definition (SD) and HD feed available for broadcasters around the world, says it's not looking to make money from the globally televised event.
While I broke the news in February that SABC3 is working on acquiring the Royal Wedding broadcasting rights, and that e.tv is also considering it, M-Net isn't. M-Net is the only South African broadcaster that has the capacity and could get the bragging rights of showing the most talked about event of the year in HD.
Broadcasters like SABC3, e.tv and M-Net have to buy the broadcasting rights from the British broadcasters BBC, Sky News and ITV. These three have been ordered - and agreed - to work together as the only three broadcasters to film the procession and the Royal Wedding service inside Westminster Abbey (similar to Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement interview that had one pool broadcaster selling on the rights to the pool feed).
The BBC says the feed fee for the Royal Wedding is ''nominal'' and that the sale of the broadcasting rights to the Royal Wedding on 29 April will cover its expenses but will not be making the BBC a profit. After 24 hours after the Royal Wedding on 29 April, only then file footage of the wedding that's then required by broadcasters will start to cost more.
