“Whenever and wherever you want it” – the BBC’s coverage of Beijing 2008
by Dave Gordon, Head of Major Events, BBC Sport
If we were to sum up what the BBC is offering from these Olympics, it would be “the Games whenever and wherever you want it 24/7”.
Along with the state-of-the-art television and radio coverage, the new media will help us minimise those frustrations when you can’t be in two places at once or when you accidentally miss one of those golden moments.
Imagine your alarm doesn’t go off and you miss seeing David Davies win a medal in the pool overnight. Instead of waiting for the evening highlights, you’ll not only be able to catch it on the Olympic Breakfast show, but also see it on demand on the BBC website and watch repeats on the red button and broadband. You’ll be able to download it from BBC iPlayer too and watch it on the way to work, and read all about it on the website via your PDA.
If you’re at work, you’ll have no need to rush to the TV or radio. You’ll be able to see those medal moments live on your computer and we’ll even send a text alert to your mobile to remind you it’s happening.
Those big evening clashes at the Olympics are almost a thing of the past now. If you’d rather watch the boxing or showjumping than the athletics on offer on BBC One, that’s no problem. Digital viewers have a multiple choice and can make their own editorial decisions.
Finally, the BBC offering does not stop when the 16 hours a day – between 2am and 6pm – of live action runs out. The Games Today at 7pm – a one-hour summary of the best of the day’s action and stories – will be complemented by repeats of all the key events on the red button and broadband. Action will also be available on iPlayer with extensive clips, highlights and text services through bbc.co.uk/sport. And BBC Three will have a series of shows dedicated to the final stages of the football competitions.
All in all, that’s a 24/7 commitment on all platforms with a bigger emphasis on the new media than ever before and the use of the latest technology to enhance the Olympic experience.
Pride of place goes to high definition (HD). For the first time, all of our BBC One and BBC Two output at the Olympics – nearly 300 hours – will be available in this format. The digital red button and broadband streaming have doubled in size since Athens with more than 2,400 hours available this time. ‘Stromotion’ and ‘Simulcam’ will feature as analysis tools and we’ll also be using state-of-the-art 3D virtual graphics.
The Paralympics, too, will be a true multimedia experience with all BBC One and BBC Two coverage available in HD and on iPlayer. Action will be streamed on the red button and broadband with the usual full service of clips, results and features accessed through the website.
By now, you will have been able to see our stunning Olympic and Paralympic titles and marketing campaign. The concept is based on a traditional Chinese novel and features Monkey’s journey to the East. The creation has been in the hands of the men behind Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett.
Radio 5 Live will bring round-the-clock coverage of the Games, with programmes presented from Beijing by Nicky Campbell, Simon Mayo, Peter Allen and John Inverdale among others, with a host of top former athletes also on the team.
The TV talent team is equally strong. Once again, the BBC lineup features iconic figures such as Michael Johnson and Sir Steve Redgrave, with new faces including Shirley Robertson, Chris Boardman and Leon Taylor.
All BBC talent will be contributing to the BBC’s Olympics website. Each sport has its own section too, with guides to the sport alongside the latest news and information. We’ll also have a team in Beijing from BBC Nations & Regions, who will be focusing on local competitors and stories right across the UK. Nowhere will this be more apparent than in London where there will be an extra focus on the lessons to be learnt for 2012.
To round out the picture, we urge you to visit our China '08 page at bbc.co.uk/topics. This pulls together the wide range of China-related content right across the BBC and has lots of invaluable background, as well as a Quick Fix Guide to Mandarin.
There are also a whole host of complementary programmes this summer. A large part of our audience may have inaccurate perceptions of what life is like in modern China and we will not shrink from turning the spotlight on issues such as the environment and human rights.
Beijing 2008 continues to present us with some of the biggest challenges we have ever faced in covering an Olympic Games, but we’re just as determined to overcome any difficulties as the athletes themselves will be. We’re all hoping for great things from Team GB and we’re well aware that our audiences expect us to put in a world-class performance too. No pressure then!
Related links
- BBC Olympics
- BBC Paralympics
- BBC Sport
- BBC Beijing coverage
- BBC Topics - China '08
- BBC London 2012 coverage
- BBC Outreach
- London 2012 website
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