Statement by sports association spokesperson: Our sports association issues contracts to television networks for the exclusive right to broadcast our...
GMAT Multi Source Reasoning : (MSR) Questions
Statement by sports association spokesperson:
Our sports association issues contracts to television networks for the exclusive right to broadcast our sporting events. For this right, the networks pay the association substantial fees, which help finance our leagues. We also provide free media passes to our events for journalists so that they can effectively report on sports news, including final scores. Now, however, some news organizations are posting video clips, audio clips, digital photographs, and live score updates from our events on their websites. Conditions must be placed on these practices, which go beyond mere sports news reporting; they harm the value of our broad-casting contracts and violate our rights as the owners of the sports leagues. News organizations that wish to post such information on their websites should therefore sign contracts with the sports association that stipulate what postings will be allowed and how much they will cost. As we have in the past, we will deny media passes to journalists from news organizations that do not comply without requirements.
Based on the statements, which one of the following can most reasonably be inferred to be a view held by the news organizations?
OWNING THE DATASET
Understanding Source A: Text Source - Statement by Sports Association Spokesperson
| Information from Dataset | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Our sports association issues contracts to television networks for the exclusive right to broadcast our sporting events. For this right, the networks pay the association substantial fees, which help finance our leagues." |
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| "We also provide free media passes to our events for journalists so that they can effectively report on sports news, including final scores." |
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| "Now, however, some news organizations are posting video clips, audio clips, digital photographs, and live score updates from our events on their websites." |
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| "Conditions must be placed on these practices, which go beyond mere sports news reporting; they harm the value of our broadcasting contracts and violate our rights as the owners of the sports leagues." |
|
| "News organizations that wish to post such information on their websites should therefore sign contracts with the sports association that stipulate what postings will be allowed and how much they will cost." |
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| "As we have in the past, we will deny media passes to journalists from news organizations that do not comply with our requirements." |
|
Summary: The sports association wants to control and charge for online multimedia coverage of their events, believing such coverage goes beyond traditional reporting and threatens their TV broadcasting revenue.
Understanding Source B: Text Source - Statement by News Organizations Spokesperson
| Information from Dataset | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The news business has largely shifted from print media to the Internet, where readers expect text to be accompanied by audio and images." |
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| "To charge news organizations for providing online sports coverage or to place unnecessary conditions on that coverage is to deny news organizations their right to cover the news." |
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| "Online news sites are not asking to broadcast sporting events in their entirety and their sports reporting does not detract from the value of the sports leagues or their events." |
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| "On the contrary -- free, engaging sports reporting generates interest in sports and thus benefits readers and the sports association alike." |
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| "News organizations must be allowed to report freely about sports on their websites, in any time-frame, using any type of online medium they deem effective." |
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Summary: While the sports association seeks to control and monetize multimedia coverage to protect TV broadcasting revenue (Source A), news organizations counter that such coverage is essential modern journalism protected by press freedom that actually benefits sports leagues.
Overall Summary
- The core conflict centers on control and economics: the sports association wants to control and monetize multimedia coverage to protect their TV broadcasting revenue, while news organizations view multimedia as standard modern journalism protected by press freedom.
- Both acknowledge the shift to multimedia but fundamentally disagree on whether it should be treated differently from traditional reporting.
- The sports association sees multimedia coverage as a threat to their established business model, while news organizations see it as essential to their survival and argue it actually promotes sports.
- The association's main leverage is their ability to deny media passes, creating a power dynamic where access to events becomes the key battleground in this dispute over modern sports journalism.
Question Analysis
In Plain Terms: Which statement represents something the news organizations would believe or agree with, based on what they said in their statement?
Key Constraints:
- Must be a view held by news organizations (not sports association)
- Must be reasonably inferred from the statements
- Looking for news organizations' perspective specifically
Answer Type Needed: Logical inference about news organizations' beliefs
Connecting to Our Analysis
The Cross-Source Analysis clearly outlines news organizations' positions, particularly in the Contradiction Analysis section where it shows their views on multimedia coverage, press freedom, and the impact of restrictions. The analysis contains all needed information about news organizations' beliefs.
Can Answer from Analysis Alone: YES - The analysis comprehensively covers news organizations' stated positions and beliefs
Extracting Relevant Findings
From the Cross-Source Analysis, key news organizations' beliefs include:
- Multimedia content is now standard for online journalism
- Restrictions on multimedia coverage would deny their right to cover news
- They view sports coverage as a fundamental journalistic right
- They believe their coverage provides promotional value rather than harm
Hypothesis: The answer will reflect news organizations' belief that multimedia is essential to modern journalism
Statement 1 Evaluation
Statement: "Online news consumers have the right to reproduce digital photographs and audio and video clips of sports association events posted on news organizations' websites."
In Plain Terms: Consumers can copy and share content from news websites
Analysis:
- This focuses on consumer rights rather than news organization views
- The analysis shows no discussion of consumer reproduction rights from the news organizations' perspective
- This represents a topic mismatch as it focuses on consumers, not news organizations
- This is not a view expressed by news organizations
Statement 2 Evaluation
Statement: "News organizations' ability to cover sports news effectively will be hampered if their use of online audio, video, and images is prohibited."
In Plain Terms: News organizations need multimedia content to report effectively on sports
Analysis:
- Analysis shows news organizations stated that 'readers expect text to be accompanied by audio and images'
- 'Multimedia content is now standard for online journalism'
- News organizations argue restrictions would 'deny news organizations their right to cover the news'
- This shows perfect alignment with news organizations' stated position
- Directly supported by their statements
Statement 3 Evaluation
Statement: "News organizations have the exclusive right to report on sports news online."
In Plain Terms: Only news organizations can report sports news online
Analysis:
- This claims exclusive rights for news organizations
- The analysis shows news organizations argue for freedom to report, not exclusivity
- This misrepresents their position as they want freedom, not monopoly
- News organizations don't claim exclusive rights in their statements
Systematic Checking
Evaluating remaining choices against news organizations' documented positions:
- Statement 4 ('People less likely to attend...'): This contradicts news organizations' claim that coverage 'generates interest in sports'
- Statement 5 ('Sports association should restrict...'): This is the sports association's view; news organizations explicitly oppose restrictions
- Only Statement 2 aligns with news organizations' documented belief that multimedia is essential for effective modern sports journalism
Final Answer
Answer: "News organizations' ability to cover sports news effectively will be hampered if their use of online audio, video, and images is prohibited."
Online news consumers have the right to reproduce digital photographs and audio and video clips of sports association events posted on news organizations' websites.
News organizations' ability to cover sports news effectively will be hampered if their use of online audio, video, and images is prohibited.
News organizations have the exclusive right to report on sports news online.
People are less likely to attend sports events if they have access to live score updates online.
The sports association should restrict how audio and video clips of its sports events can be disseminated.