UK firm may be broadcaster for CWG

A UK-based firm is likely to be selected as broadcaster for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, with Prasar Bharati recommending it to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Official sources said the ministry is likely to grant its approval to Prasar Bharati’s recommendation of choosing UK-based Satellite Information Service (SIS) by Monday after going through the details of the matter.

The public broadcaster had shortlisted two companies, SIS and Mumbai-based Nimbus Communications Ltd, out of which it had to select one for broadcasting the mega event to be held in Delhi next October, for it.

Prasar Bharati is the host broadcaster for the event, but SIS (subject to its clearance by ministry) will be outsourced the work of telecasting the Games, as Doordarshan plans to beam it in high definition (HD) format. The selected company will facilitate the transmission in HD technology to it, the sources said.

With the public broadcaster having almost decided, it would now be able to focus on the upcoming World Broadcasters Summit, to be held in Delhi on October 26.

There was pressure on the I&B ministry to finalise the broadcaster before the summit, as it would be a platform where Commonwealth nations are to discuss the preparations of the event’s telecast.

Finalising the broadcaster before the event would help Prasar Bharati streamline the broadcasting issues with the selected company and move ahead with finalising other aspects, the source said.

Out of several applicants, five companies were initially shortlisted for broadcasting the games live by Prasar Bharati, and the list was later pruned to two.

The five companies initially shortlisted by the ministry were Swiss-based International Games Broadcast Services, Satellite Information Service Live (UK), Nimbus Sports International Pvt Ltd (Singapore), Nimbus Communications Ltd (Mumbai) in collaboration with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Big Productions of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.