Communications minister Mitch Fifield has come under renewed pressure to explain why Foxtel – and not a free-to-air network or public broadcaster – was given millions of dollars to boost coverage of women's and niche sports.

The broadcaster was assigned $30 million in taxpayer's money over four years in the 2017 federal budget in order to boost "under represented sports" on subscription television.

News Corp and Telstra have confirmed they will merge Fox Sports and Foxtel. Credit:Jim Rice

On Wednesday, the ABC revealed an FOI request into how Foxtel was chosen for government funding was rejected on the basis that a paper trail between the Department of Communications and the pay TV network did not exist.

A spokeswoman for Mr Fifield said the decision to give money to Foxtel was part of the Turnbull government's broader media reform package.