The BBC has announced that it will make 24 live high-definition Olympic TV streams available to cable and satellite providers for this summer’s Olympic Games in London.
This announcements means that for the first time ever in the UK, millions of television viewers with cable or satellite TV will be able to watch every Olympic sporting event live from every venue.
Previously, the BBC had promised to provide a similar service only via its sports website, but now all 24 seperate Olympics channels will be made available across TV, online, mobile, tablet and internet connnected TV platforms.
The BBC’s entire Olympics coverage will deliver around 2,500 hours of live sport coverage through the various BBC platforms during the Games, making it the biggest single BBC production in its history.
Roger Mosey, Director, BBC London 2012, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer this opportunity to cable and satellite providers to extend our online service to millions of TV viewers across the UK.
“BBC One and BBC Three will remain the flagship channels for the Olympics.
“But, as the London 2012 Olympic Games will be the first truly ‘Digital Games’, we wanted to offer an unprecedented amount of live sporting action to the widest possible audience through these 24 live streams, giving vastly more choice than ever before.”
The additional BBC Olympics channels will give viewers the power to choose what live sport they want to watch throughout the Games, so if someone wants to spend the entire day watching the judo, badminton, cycling or the swimming, they will be able to watch it all unfold at the touch of a button.
On top of BBC TV’s offerings via its mainstream channels, Sky and Freesat customers will able to choose between 24 seperate BBC-branded Olympics channels, all of which will launch prior to the Games on July 24, via their Electronic Programme Guides (EPG).
For Sky customers, all 24 channels will be available in both standard-definition and high-definition, which will be all added to the Sports section of Sky’s EPG, enabling viewers to watch and record any sporting event they want during the Games.
“We’ve had discussions with cable and satellite providers on a non-exclusive basis to see if they’d like to run BBC-branded Olympic channels that will massively extend choice for their viewers in addition to what we can offer ourselves online, via the BBC iPlayer or through connected TV services,” Mosey said via his BBC Olympics blog.
“The aim is that you’d be able to pick from watching BBC Olympics 1 right through to BBC Olympics 24 with full programme guides and the ability to record your favourite sports.
“Just to underline – this is a distribution agreement for the Sky platform and Freesat, and it’s not about sharing the broadcast rights which remain with the BBC within the UK.
“This is no different from existing BBC channels being on Sky, Virgin, Freesat and BT Vision. But clearly we’re delighted by the ability to get BBC channels to as many people as possible on the device of their choosing.”
Freeview users will have access to two extra channels at peak-times (via channels 301 and 302). Confirmation on other TV platforms, including Virgin Media and BT Vision, are likely to be confirmed at a later date.
Viewers will not have to pay an extra subscription fee to watch any of the 24 extra BBC Olympics channels.
This comprehensive service complements the BBC’s coverage on its main flagship channels – BBC One and BBC Three – which will air all of the key moments from the London 2012 Games, as well as other platforms including Radio 5 Live, and a dedicated 5 Live Olympics radio station.
It will also offer selected Olympics coverage, including the opening/closing ceremonies and the men’s 100m final, in 3D for the first time.
The BBC announced its presenting line-up for the 2012 Games in December last year, with Gary Lineker anchoring the corporation’s prime-time coverage, with Mercury Music Prize-winning band Elbow chosen to perform the BBC’s theme music for the London 2012 Games.
There will also be extensive coverage of the Olympic Torch Relay procession across the UK via the BBC’s regional and local news output.
For more information on the BBC’s London 2012 coverage, visit their dedicated website – bbc.co.uk/2012
