SYDNEY – The appointment of a Host Broadcaster for the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, which the Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee (SPOC) announced today, is likely to boost television audiences for the Games all around the world.
A collaboration between Sydney-based television facilities company – Global Television (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Television & Media Services Ltd) – and leading production company – All Media Sports – will act as Host Broadcaster for the Games of XI Paralympiad from 18-29 October, 2000.
The Host Broadcaster provides the television signals and footage to individual broadcasters throughout the world, providing the mechanism via which Paralympic sport will be seen by viewers in Canada, the USA, Europe, Great Britain, Japan, Asia, New Zealand, South Africa, New Zealand and of course, Australia.
Global Television has a strong history of providing coverage of major Australian sporting events such as the Melbourne Cup, Test cricket, PGA Tour golf and the Bathurst 1000 motor race. Global is Australia’s premier TV facilities provider and outsourcing company operating the largest independent television production facility in the country.
Global has several long-term contracts with Australian producers and broadcasters including the Nine Network for all outside broadcasts and Network Ten for all outside broadcasts and studio dramas.
All Media Sports is the leading independent producer of sports programming in Australia and collaborates with Global on many events, including the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. Its principals previously have provided host broadcast services on a number of major international events including the 1997 UCI World Cycling Championships, the 1996 IAAF World Junior Athletics and the 1997 FINA Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
The appointment of Global-AMS is likely to be well received by international broadcasters, whose operations and coverage will be greatly enhanced by SPOC’s establishment of host broadcast television and production facilities to cater for their requirements.
Under the deal signed with SPOC, about 250 operational and production staff from Global-AMS will make live footage available of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, athletics (track and field), swimming, wheelchair basketball, tennis and cycling, together with taped coverage of all other sports finals. A daily one-hour highlights program also will be produced and made available for broadcast rights holders around the world.
They will also be involved in constructing a Broadcast Centre to distribute the coverage to various broadcast rights holders and provide infrastructure for rights holders’ on-site operations.
SPOC Chief Executive Lois Appleby said the appointment of a host broadcaster represented a significant step towards making the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games a worldwide success, enabling the athletes to perform in front of a global audience.
‘At this stage more than 35 countries have expressed interest in screening the Paralympic Games to their home audiences with particularly strong demand from Europe,’ Ms Appleby.
‘We are confident the level of facilities and expertise to be provided by Global-AMS easily will surpass the standards set at previous Paralympic Games.
‘This, combined with the many memorable stories and powerful television images likely to be generated by the competition – and all set against the spectacular backdrop provided by Sydney – should be plenty of incentive for broadcasters to acquire the rights and show Paralympic sport,’ Ms Appleby said.
Global Television’s Senior Executive Manager, Keith Spice, said Global was proud to be associated with SPOC and the Sydney Paralympic Games.
‘We are looking forward to working closely with Lois and her team to ensure the Australian and international rights holders for the event are completely satisfied with every aspect of the television and broadcast coverage,’ Mr Spice said.
AMS General Manager, Mark Stoneham, said AMS was delighted to have the opportunity to work with leading international broadcasters to deliver to the world the most significant Paralympics coverage ever undertaken.
‘We look forward to producing a coverage for SPOC that will convey the true spirit for which Paralympians are renowned,’ Mr Stoneham said.
Earlier this year, SPOC appointed London-based company, Media Content PLC, as its marketing partner for the sale of the broadcast rights.
For further information email: para2000@mcplc.com
Media Content’s Managing Director, Jean-Paul de la Fuente, said: ‘The Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games is the second most important event next year in terms of participation and is also the dawn of a new era in Paralympic sports coverage.’
Ms Appleby said SPOC was financing the host broadcaster operation and would recoup some of the expenditure through a ‘production contribution’, equivalent to a TV rights fee.
The rightsholders receive the direct benefit as it will be applied towards the cost of the host broadcaster set-up.
The Seven Network was announced as the domestic rights holder for the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games earlier this year and will take footage from the Host Broadcaster, in the same way as Olympic broadcasters obtain their coverage from SOBO (Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation).
Source: SOCOG olympics.com