Looking ahead to 2008: the Beijing Olympics and a special centenary
By Dave Gordon, Head of Major Events, BBC Sport
January 2008 – and if any extra incentive is needed to toast the New Year, it's the thought here in BBC Sport that this is Olympic year. There are just under 200 days until the start of the Beijing Olympics and not much longer than that until the Paralympics. Planning has been under way since Athens, but it's time now to sharpen our focus and hone our plans for coverage of the 'Greatest Show on Earth'.
We took a significant step towards this last November when the BBC was given formal approval for a high definition (HD) service by the BBC Trust. With all core sports coverage in Beijing being shot in high definition by the host broadcaster, the BBC can now offer the Olympics in HD for the first time. We are planning some 300 hours of Olympic output on BBC One and BBC Two over the 17 days of the Games and all of this will be broadcast simultaneously on the BBC HD channel. In addition, via the red button there will be an extra six digital interactive channels offering Olympic action 24/7 for the entire Games – an extra 2,450 hours. All of this output will also be available on broadband in the UK. As many events will climax during the working day because of the seven-hour time difference, this will make it easier for those at work to access the key action. Overall, we will be doubling our TV output in comparison with Athens. Radio 5 Live and its sister station 5 Live Sports Extra will also be offering round-the-clock coverage, and a dedicated team will serve the nations and regions areas around the UK with news, interviews and features specifically designed for local consumption.
Of course, all of the sports action becoming available on broadband is in addition to everything else that people have come to expect from the BBC Sport website. Indeed, BBC Sport has recently launched a revamped Olympics site with separate sections for all the sports and the capability to embed video. This will become the best place to preview material in the run-up to the Games and will feature the latest news on British team selection. It's too early for the majority of sports to finalise their squads but we were delighted, for example, to hear that Great Britain has a record four amateur boxers qualified for Beijing after the recent world championships, with the possibility of one or two more to come. This compares with just one in Athens – Amir Khan. Clearly, the more British interest the better and that will also bode well for London 2012.
We're putting our plans for the Paralympics in place too. Again we will have coverage on all platforms with, in particular, live coverage on BBC One and BBC Two of the opening and closing ceremonies and weekend action, additional live coverage on the red button and broadband, and a daily early evening highlights show on BBC Two.
Now is also the time for us to put together our talent teams, sort out the logistics of getting everyone to China and ensure that our own temporary production facilities are in place. Every Games has its unique problems to solve and Beijing will be no different. However, co-operation with the host broadcaster, Beijing Olympic Broadcasting, has been excellent and we are happy that we will have the right facilities in place for whatever stories sport produces, in addition to all the political, cultural and environmental issues that we will be reporting on. We are committed to presenting a three-dimensional picture of China and the Games and to giving our audiences that vital context to enhance their appreciation of events.
This will be a Games that involves many areas of the BBC as well as Sport and one in which we can use the latest multi-platform digital technology to reach as many people as possible by broadcasting the Olympics how, where and when the audience want it.
In contrast, it's difficult to imagine how the Olympic news was conveyed a hundred years ago. Yes, there's a centenary to celebrate this year – and one with a special resonance at the BBC in west London. We are very proud that the Olympic flag flies at the BBC in White City. This was the exact site of the London Olympics one hundred years ago and undoubtedly we will take a little time this year to reflect on that first historic Games held in London and some of the epic competition that took place. Indeed, the story of the 1908 marathon and how it came to be run over 26 miles 385 yards is one of the greatest in Olympic history. We also look forward to chronicling the exploits of the legendary Dorando Pietri – Irving Berlin even wrote a song dedicated to the great Dorando.
So let's raise a glass to Paula Radcliffe and hope that a victory in this summer's marathon in Beijing prompts another great songwriter into action!!!
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