Hong Kong’s Free-TV Struggles to Broadcast Olympics

Hong Kong’s leading sports official has written to the IOC to express his concern after a deal to air the London Games on a free channel apparently fell apart.

Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China President, Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, said he informed IOC President Jacques Rogge that “there is still no deal in place” between rights holder i-Cable and ATV and TVB.

ATV had originally planned to accept i-Cable’s offer and broadcast the Olympics on its English-language World channel.

Last week i-Cable and ATV said that negotiations have been put on hold because ATV broadcasts are available in areas of China’s Guangdong province, and this could infringe on the exclusive rights of mainland stations.

Fok said i-Cable is required to broadcast part of the Olympics- at least 200 hours- on a free-TV channel under the terms of its agreement.

Rogge has said earlier i-Cable will be “stripped of its broadcasting rights if its reach to audiences is not adequate.” {jcomments on}