Commonwealth Games rights to SIS?
UK-based Satellite Information Services is learnt to be leading the race for producing and broadcasting the New Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010.
UK-based Satellite Information Services (SIS) is learnt to be leading the race for producing and broadcasting the New Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010.
An empowered committee comprising top officials of Doordarshan and All India Radio, set up to select the broadcaster for producing the Games, met on Monday to finalise the name, a source pointed out.
The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry is expected to take a decision, based on the recommendation of the empowered committee.
A questionnaire sent by DNA Money to SIS on the issue remained unanswered.
SIS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Satellite Information Services (Holdings) Ltd and is owned by a combination of leisure and financial investors, according to the company website. It’s into TV production, broadcasting and providing live pictures and data via satellite. It also supplies TV programming and data services to the UK and Ireland betting industry.
SIS, which has existing contracts with broadcasters like Sky and ITV for coverage of sports events like Formula 1 and Rugby World Cup, will now produce the Commonwealth Games in hi-definition (HDTV) format for host broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, as well as for international channels.
Information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni had said a few months ago that five companies were shortlisted out of a total of 10 bidders.
Among other bidders shortlisted for producing the Commonwealth Games included ADAG group’s Big Products in consortium with Inter Public Marketing Services Shanghai and Tokyo Broadcasting Systems. Sources pointed out that the ADAG group may not be keen on producing the Games any more, after putting in the bid a few months ago.
Besides SIS and Big Products, the shortlisted bidders were Nimbus Communications Ltd (in partnership with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), Nimbus Sports International Pvt Ltd (in consortium with International Sports Broadcasting, USA), and International Games Broadcasting Services, Switzerland.
As per norms, broadcasters selected for producing and beaming the Games must have requisite experience in covering global events like Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
While there were protests against Prasar Bharati outsourcing the event coverage to a third party, top officials pointed at the mandatory clause of beaming Commonwealth Games in the HDTV format. On its own, Prasar Bharati was not equipped to meet this criterion. Now, the government is working on introducing HDTV broadcasting in the metros, to begin with.
An empowered committee comprising top officials of Doordarshan and All India Radio, set up to select the broadcaster for producing the Games, met on Monday to finalise the name, a source pointed out.
The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry is expected to take a decision, based on the recommendation of the empowered committee.
A questionnaire sent by DNA Money to SIS on the issue remained unanswered.
SIS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Satellite Information Services (Holdings) Ltd and is owned by a combination of leisure and financial investors, according to the company website. It’s into TV production, broadcasting and providing live pictures and data via satellite. It also supplies TV programming and data services to the UK and Ireland betting industry.
SIS, which has existing contracts with broadcasters like Sky and ITV for coverage of sports events like Formula 1 and Rugby World Cup, will now produce the Commonwealth Games in hi-definition (HDTV) format for host broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, as well as for international channels.
Information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni had said a few months ago that five companies were shortlisted out of a total of 10 bidders.
Among other bidders shortlisted for producing the Commonwealth Games included ADAG group’s Big Products in consortium with Inter Public Marketing Services Shanghai and Tokyo Broadcasting Systems. Sources pointed out that the ADAG group may not be keen on producing the Games any more, after putting in the bid a few months ago.
Besides SIS and Big Products, the shortlisted bidders were Nimbus Communications Ltd (in partnership with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), Nimbus Sports International Pvt Ltd (in consortium with International Sports Broadcasting, USA), and International Games Broadcasting Services, Switzerland.
As per norms, broadcasters selected for producing and beaming the Games must have requisite experience in covering global events like Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
While there were protests against Prasar Bharati outsourcing the event coverage to a third party, top officials pointed at the mandatory clause of beaming Commonwealth Games in the HDTV format. On its own, Prasar Bharati was not equipped to meet this criterion. Now, the government is working on introducing HDTV broadcasting in the metros, to begin with.