MUMBAI: The International Cycling Union (UCI) and the international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media have entered into an agreement for broadcast coverage of the UCI Road, Track, Mountain Bike and BMX World Championships as well as the UCI Track Cycling World Cup for four years till 2016.

Marking a strategic shift in worldwide coverage after cycling?s success at the 2012 Olympic Games in London in all disciplines, Infront Sports & Media will become the UCI?s exclusive agency to distribute the federation?s media rights globally, with the exception of the USA and Japan.

"The UCI is delighted to have this new and dynamic partner which has significant worldwide sales power," said UCI President Pat McQuaid. "Infront Sports & Media has a large network worldwide which is totally in line with the UCI?s goal to universalize cycling. Cycling is going through a boom as seen at the recent London Olympics. Our aim is to work together to continue to reinforce the development of cycling across the globe and the draw of our sport as a high appeal television product, which merges tradition and innovation in all disciplines."

Free-to-air coverage forms an important basis to this agreement. It will favour a flexible approach in order to find the best broadcast outlet for UCI events in each individual territory. "We will use their drive, their expertise and their input for the long-term development of cycling," said the UCI President.

Infront Sports & Media President & CEO Philippe Blatter said, "We are very much looking forward to contributing our comprehensive expertise in media rights distribution to further strengthen the international coverage of the prestigious UCI World Championship events. Our dedicated team shares the UCI vision to strengthen the public positioning of its various properties - in both the well-established and the growing disciplines - and to ensure access for the broadest possible cycling fan base around the globe."

In the longer term, the UCI and Infront Sports & Media envisage to collaborate also in other areas, including the centralised media production, sponsorship distribution and the introduction of new technologies, such as such as digital media solutions.

MUMBAI: International sports marketing company Sportfive has signed a deal with ANO Sports Broadcasting in relation to media rights in Russia for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games and 2016 Olympic Games.

Created in December 2009 by RTR, Channel One and NTV PLUS, ANO Sports Broadcasting comprises the largest Russian public and private national broadcasters.

The deal with ANO Sports Broadcasting incorporates all of the main broadcasting rights for both Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016. The rights will be exploited over a number of platforms, including free-to-air television, internet, mobile and radio, amongst others.

With Russia as host country for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, ANO Sports Broadcasting intends to provide significant coverage of Sochi 2014. Live action and programming will be made accessible to viewers across the country, using multiple television channels and media platforms. The consortium?s free-to-air television channels, Channel One and Russia 1, will broadcast the key events, with further coverage offered on Russia 2 and Russia 24. There will be additional coverage on numerous pay television channels and services, as well as content transmitted via the internet, mobile and national radio.

Commenting on the agreement, ANO Sports Broadcasting CEO Vasily Kiknadze said, "By signing this agreement we have taken on the responsibility of providing top quality coverage of the greatest global sports event, which will be eagerly awaited by millions of Russian fans and television audiences. Our team, which will work in close cooperation with RTR, Channel One and NTV PLUS, are prepared to rise to this exciting challenge."

Sportfive International CEO Shaila-Ann Rao said, "We are delighted to have concluded this deal for Russia with ANO Sports Broadcasting, representing the principal channels RTR, Channel One and NTV PLUS. We are certain that this will provide the best possible coverage to both the Winter and Summer Games across Russia and greatly contribute to the success and excitement of the Games in Sochi."

MUMBAI: BBC One has launched its new Original British Drama campaign to the UK nation throughout the Olympic Games period.

Over the next two weeks audiences will get a sneak preview of the new British drama coming up on the channel. including ?Good Cop?, ?Accused?, ?Doctor Who;, ;Merlin? and ?EastEnders?.

BBC One controller Danny Cohen said, "The London 2012 London Olympics provides a rare and unique opportunity to showcase some of BBC One?s very best forthcoming programmes to our audiences. At approximately 8 pm across the 17 days of The London Olympics, we will give viewers the first exclusive look at a range of brand new original British drama coming up on BBC One - in the form of

specially-made feature length trailers. From Hunted to The Paradise, Good Cop and The Secret of Crickley Hall, Shetland to Ripper Street, these new series highlight the exciting and broad range of tones, stories and worlds we want drama on BBC One to encapsulate.

"Plus viewers will get an exclusive look at what?s coming up on Eastenders, Merlin Accused and Dr Who. It?s a fantastically diverse and ambitious combination of fiction coming up on BBC One in the coming months."

NEW DELHI: Indian radio stations, which do not hold the rights to the Olympic coverage will not broadcast or originate play-by-play commentary or analogous coverage of any Olympic material, whether on a live or delayed basis.

Meanwhile, actual commentary of competition events, taped from the television coverage of the rights holder for the Olympics Games in the particular territory can only be used with the express written permission of the rights holder as per the Radio News Access Rules.

The rules also say that non-rights holders shall not broadcast any other material obtained while inside an Olympic venue, including interviews. However the official press conferences held in the main press centre can be covered as long as there is a delay of 30 minutes from the conclusion of the press conference. From India, All India Radio is the only audio station to have the rights for broadcasting live commentary of the Games and events linked to them.

Furthermore, no private channel in the country is at present permitted to broadcast news, though some FM channels occasionally give short highlights.

The Access Rules are clear that Olympic material may be used only as a part of regularly scheduled daily news programs of which the actual news element constitutes the main feature. News programmes shall not be positioned or promoted as Olympic programmes.

Non-Rights Holders, provided they are holders of ENR accreditation, will have access, without equipment, to Olympic venues and, with equipment, to the main press centre.

Specifically, mobile telephone interviews with athletes and team officials are strictly prohibited from Olympic venues, including mixed zones. ENR accredited journalists are not permitted to do telephone voice reports from Olympic venues, including the Olympic Park Common Domain.

AIR will broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympics 2102 live on its national channel as well as on AIR FM Gold (106.4 MHz) on 27 July and 13 August respectively.

In addition, the matches relating to hockey where India has qualified and football will also be broadcast live along with the semi-finals and finals.

AIR sources told Indiantelevision.com the public broadcaster has drawn up extensive plans to give live telecast of the women?s hockey final and the men?s football final.

Though these will be carried on the national channel and FM Gold, all state capital Kendras can also relay the beam.

FM Gold will carry highlights of the previous day?s events at 7.05 am every morning. These will be picked up and relayed by all the capital Kendras and also presented later in regional language versions.

AIR will also carry regular updates and breaking news during normal programme whenever any major story breaks.

There will be elaborate news coverage with inputs and feeds from London, the sources said.

AIR had in fact commenced programmes on the Olympics from 10 April, beaming two programme every month till June and one in July. This was also relayed by the Kendras in state capitals and in regional versions. This also included interviews with those Indians who have earlier won medals at the Olympics.

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MUMBAI: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) expects revenue from broadcast rights to top $4 billion between 2014-16, IOC president Jacques Rogge said.

?For the period 2014-16, we already have $3.6 billion and it should reach and exceed $4 billion. TV rights totalled $2.2 billion for the period 2002-4,? Rogge told an IOC session days before the start of the London Olympics.

The world Olympic governing body earned $3.9 billion between 2010-2012.

IOC has already generated $2.6 billion in broadcast rights revenues for the 2018-2020 period.

A large chunk of IOC?s broadcast revenue comes from US, where it had sold the rights to NBC for $4.38 billion till 2020.

?Since 31 December, 2001 our reserves have grown from 105 million to 558 million, an increase of 453 million. This financial solidity is due to success of marketing and broadcast rights,? said Rogge.

Apart from broadcast rights, IOC?s sponsorship revenue has also seen growth, with revenue from sponsorship expected to generate $1 billion from 2013-2016 top sponsorship programme.

IOC already has seven sponsors on board for the 2017-2020 programme which has brought in $722 million. The same programme had been worth $663 million for the period 2001-4.