CCTV adds to Olympic broadcast rights

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Tuesday it has awarded the 2008 Games Internet and mobile-phone platform rights in China to the digital arm of State broadcaster CCTV.

It sold the over-the-air TV rights in China to the company in 1998.

The committee said in a statement that it chose CCTV.com because it will be able to work closely with its television arm and fully exploit the digital broadcast rights on a number of platforms.

"The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will be a landmark moment in Olympic history, and is obviously an event of huge national interest in China. When this is coupled with China's digital media potential, it means our agreement with CCTV.com represents a very exciting partnership for the Olympic Movement," IOC President Jacques Rogge was quoted as saying in the statement.

"We look forward to working with our broadcast partner CCTV and its digital arm, CCTV.com, to bring the excitement of the Olympic Games to a new generation of fans in China."

The IOC said it had considered several companies on the mainland for the Internet and mobile-phone broadcasting rights after inviting tenders in March.

Richard Carrion, an IOC executive board member and member of the IOC's TV rights and new media commission, said the Beijing Olympics will break new boundaries in terms of digital broadcasting.

"This will ensure Chinese Olympic fans have access to the best possible coverage in 2008," he said.

The selling of the broadcast rights to new media could also be applied to other sports events in China, experts have said.

Wei Jizhong, a consultant to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad and president of the Beijing Olympic Economy Research Association, said: "Working with new media for broadcasting is something new for the IOC. If it succeeds in Beijing, it could be extended to other events.

"It could be included as part of the marketing plan for future sports events," he said.

"Broadcasting through new media can benefit more people, especially those who don't have access to a television set."

According to CCTV vice-president Sun Yusheng, China has 160 million Internet users and 508 million mobile-phone users.