CBC to provide Olympic coverage

The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for the second time has partnered with the International Media Content (IMC) Limited to broadcast the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games scheduled to run from July 24th to August 9th in Kasumigaoka, Shinjuku, Japan.

Chairman of CBC’s Board of Directors, David Leacock said after tough negotiations, IMC, the parent company for Sportsmax, the leading sports channel in the Caribbean, made the decision for CBC to cover the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Speaking during this morning’s press briefing at the Hilton Barbados Resort, Leacock explained that the decision to host the Olympic Games was another example of the state-run television channel’s dedication to providing its customers with quality content.

“This came after tough negotiations over the last week or so and indeed we have decided to make this investment. It is an investment that is indicative of our confidence in our participants as well as in the economy of this country. At the same time, it demonstrates our commitment to sharing a special sporting event such as the Olympics with the local committee, as well as the global markets,” Leacock said.

From left, Barbados Olympic Association Secretary-General Cameron Burke, CEO of Sportsmax and IMC Oliver McIntosh, Chairman of CBC Board of Directors, David Leacock, Director of Sales and Marketing at CBC, Diane Forte.

Persons who have access to CBC TV8 or Multiple Choice [MCTV] will be able to watch the Olympics.

Chief executive officer (CEO) of IMC and Sportsmax, Oliver McIntosh gave his assurance that viewers in Barbados would receive great coverage from the event.

“There is no doubt that Barbados will receive the best content from the Olympics. This will include over 206 countries, 33 sports and 11 000 athletes participating in the Olympic Games,” McIntosh said.

Additionally, leading up to the Games there will be a series of features and commentaries.

With Tokyo being 13 hours ahead of the Caribbean region, the Sportsmax CEO revealed that they will have two programmes called Tokyo Prime.

“We have compiled a team from across the region that represents all sports, all countries that we can present a complete Olympics to the region. The content that we will produce will be over 864 hours from Tokyo. How are we doing this? IMC will have two channels that will be transmitting from Tokyo. Two 24 hour, seven days a week channels in high definition that we will be providing to CBC. Tokyo Prime will be broadcast in the morning just after the completion of the nightly programming in Tokyo, as well as in prime time here in the region as a recap and review into the next day’s activity,” McIntosh said. 

Barbados Olympic Association’s Secretary-General and Chef De Mission for the Tokyo Games, Cameron Burke said this type of broadcast coverage provided by IMC will give Barbadian athletes the type of exposure needed.

Additionally, Burke credited CBC for their promotion of sports in Barbados, especially with their coverage over the past two years of the BOA’s BiiG Games.

“…We were never able to see exactly how our athletes were performing on the day. We saw the Americans and we saw everybody [else], but with IMC at the last Olympics [Brazil 2016] we were able to see exactly what was happening on the track with our athletes while they were preparing in the call room. “Whatever they were doing we were able to follow it. The response, while we were there in Rio from the local public was excellent. When can we see more of this? This is what we needed ever since, so now that IMC is coming on board, this will enhance what we started in 2016,” Burke maintained.

“We in the Olympic Association have worked with CBC for the last two years with our BiiG Games and the response was outstanding. People were able to sit at home, late at night and watch the pre-recorded games and the response coming back to the Olympic Committee was that we need more of this, so I applaud CBC for this outstanding initiative,” Burke said.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb