International news agencies boycott India-England Test series

International news agencies today decided to boycott the high-profile Test series between India and England which began here to protest against the restrictions imposed by the BCCI on some photo agencies covering the tour.

International agencies Thomson Reuters, Agence France-Presse and Associated Press decided to suspend reports from the tour as well as pictures. The Press Association, national agency in the United Kingdom, will not also supply photographs, according to a release issued by the News Media Coalition (NMC).

"In addition to Getty Images, Action Images and two Indian photo agencies being barred, international news agencies have decided against providing pictorial or text coverage of the tour," the NMC, a coalition of international and domestic media organisations, said.

"The lock-out of photographic agencies by the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI) will result in cricket fans worldwide having sight of far fewer images taken by press photographers," the NMC said.

"Normally, agencies would distribute thousands of images as part of their editorial coverage – to the enjoyment of fans, the curious and sponsors of teams, such as Nike and Sahara," it added.

The BCCI had withheld accreditation of photo agencies such as Getty Images and Action Images, saying that it will provide its own photographs.

Meanwhile, editors of Britain's national newspapers today added their voice to the protests against BCCI's refusal to resolve the media dispute.