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Foxtel to screen 2012 Olympics on 8 HD channels

With just one year to go, Foxtel announces an unprecedented 8 dedicated HD channels for the London Olympics, with every Aussie Medal to be shown live.

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Foxtel will broadcast the London Olympic Games on 8 dedicated High Definition channels in 2012.

To mark the one year lead-in to the games Foxtel has announced an unprecedented Australian coverage of the Olympics, with 8 dedicated channels with events to screen 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in High Definition.

The number of channels is double those on offer for the Vancouver Winter Olympics and Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Foxtel has the Pay TV rights (Nine has Free to Air) and will broadcast Swimming, Synchronised Swimming, Diving, Water Polo,  Track, Field, Cycling, Gymnastics, Equestrian, Fencing, Table Tennis, Slalom, Rowing, Sailing, Volleyball,  Football, Hockey, Weightlifting and Basketball.

CEO Kim Williams, said: “The landmark broadcast will screen all telecasts in full – all  sessions of major sports will be shown live, every Aussie Medal will be shown live, and all sports and matches featuring Australian teams will – for the first time – be broadcast live and in full.

“The broadcast is a hugely ambitious task, and following the success of our coverage of the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, we are thrilled to provide this exciting  service for our viewers.”

Foxtel’s coverage will be hosted and presented from studios inside Olympic Park in London.

Australian athlete Steve Hooker said: “As an athlete, part of the thrill of competing is knowing your family and friends back home are cheering you on. What Foxtel will do with the London 2012 Olympic Games means Australians won’t miss a moment, and can watch us every step of the way.”

Nine is yet to announce its broadcast plans for the games but will retain the exclusive rights to the live Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Foxtel is yet to release its pricing details for the games.

27 Responses

  3. @ Belinda The last Commonwealth Games package was free is you were a subscriber to the sports tier other wise you paid a fee of $35 or $45 (Not to sure since I got if free).

    I doubt Foxtel will give the Olympics away, so you can probably get the coverage for $65 early bird or $75 normal price. Anyone usually can purchase regardless of what package they subscribe to.

    But then again this being Foxtel they could probably change the way they price. You will have to wait until more details are released.

  5. The Seven Network will be bidding to win the rights back for 2014, and2016. From what I understand if they win the rights they intend to show the games in full HD and 3D. Also they have intentions to use Roy and HG who were very popular for the Sydney 2000 Games. The coverage will be in HD as Seven’s Plan is to return its HD simulcast (7mate to go to standard definition) once the analogue signal is turned off in 2013.

    It will be very disappointing if Nine fail to show any coverage in HD. But after they dropped HD ashes coverage and HD state of origin this year I would not be surprised if FTA viewers were stuck with standard definition coverage.

  9. How do the Olympics/Commonwealth Games packages work with Foxtel? For example, do you have to buy basic package + sports + Olympics or can you just buy basic + Olympics? I have never known anyone who has purchsed a Games package in the past.

  10. Forgot to mention that the BBC is looking at broadcasting several hours a day of 3D material, and Nine has said they will apply for spectrum to air it in 3D here as well. That was in Monday’s AFR.

  11. @secret squirrel LOL gold foxtels coverage for me nine dosent know how to broadcast football properly so what hope do they have with the olympics and what is even worse they will almost definatly have Eddie on it which is a turn off

  14. Yes I heard that the BBC are having 24 separate channels on their website!! Every single event in the entire games will be broadcast live.

    Anyway Fox showing 8 in HD is pretty good too….hopefully Nines coverage of the other events will be live!

  16. I understand that Nine will “fast-track” the events broadcasting them only a few days after they took place. They’ll show the finals first as a drawcard with the heats and semis to follow. Then they’ll have an unexplained two-day hiatus and show a couple of events from the 2008 Olympics before bumping the broadcast at short notice to 1am due to poor ratings.

    They’ll continue to fail to engage with their audience despite having bothered to set up FB pages.

  18. Bring it on!!!!

    I’ll be watching up-to-the-minute Olympic Coverage on Foxtel next year and do you know what will the BBC provide it’s coverage as host broadcasters in London next year?

  22. This is why sports fans love PayTV, 8 HD channels, even if it costs extra.

    We’ll be lucking if the opening/closing are in HD on GEM, IMO Foxtel should have simulcast rights for that.

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