The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

COVERAGE of the Olympic games will be tailored to the tastes of Caribbean viewers, according to Sports Max TV representatives who will be streaming feeds of the games to broadcasters around the region - including to ZNS.

Lance Whittaker, vice president of production for Sports Max, explained sports Caribbean athletes are competing in - such as track and field - will given priority over the coverage of other athletics.

It was last week that ZNS representatives, who have exclusive rights to air the games in The Bahamas, promised extensive coverage of the summer Olympics.

The Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas (who owns ZNS) acquired those rights from International Media Content who is the parent company of Sports Max. Sports Max is also the sole legal entity authorised to grant licenses to the BCB in this territory for live, deferred and delayed television and radio transmission with commentary.

“We can’t (cover everything) but all the events of Caribbean interest - yes,” Mr Whittaker said when asked what Bahamian viewers can expect to see. “Because 30 things are happening at the same time, obviously we can’t show everything.”

He explained their coverage of the games is designed to ensure the main events the Caribbean is interested in, will be shown.

“Track and field and swimming will be the main events, but the Caribbean will also have competitors in several other events,” Mr Whittaker continued, naming boxing, cycling, judo, tae kwon do, weightlifting, sailing, track, equestrian, shooting, and badminton as other sports Caribbean competitors are involved in.

“We are definitely going to show those,” he said.

However although Caribbean athletes take priority, popular sports those athletes are not engaged in but the public is interested in will still be shown.

“We will also have gymnastics and volleyball and the things that people have been accustomed to seeing over the years at the Olympic games,” Mr Whittaker said.

When reached for comment, general manager of ZNS, Edwin Lightbourn confirmed his concern with Olympic coverage is that Bahamians are able to see their athletes and other athletes from the region compete.

But while stressing that he did not want to go into detail as an official ZNS announcement will soon be made, he assured that coverage of the games will be wide-reaching.

He also noted game coverage will be consistent with breaks only for “news and so on”.

“We’re going 24/7, we’re going full coverage, live coverage starting at 4.30 in the morning,” he said. “People are going to see everything they want to see. You’re going to see extensive coverage.”

On the whirlwind of public concern surrounding their exclusive rights to cover the event, Mr Lightbourn only promised that will also be addressed in their official statement.

With BCB’s rights to broadcast the games, no other entity is allowed to air the Olympics in this territory unless an agreement is reached with BCB.

Cable Bahamas executives told the press last week they negotiating with BCB to allow for other feeds of the games to be broadcast on cable.