Greater media access more beneficial for Olympics coverage

The Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) Broadcast Inc, regional rights holder for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, believes that making broadcast rights for the event available to media entities that wish to provide coverage is more beneficial to the Caribbean audience than the exclusive arrangements which have pertained in the past.

CANOC board member, Don Anderson, a presenter at the RJR/Gleaner Sensitisation Rights Olympics Seminar held at the company's North Street offices yesterday, said that while the rights for coverage of the 2012 Olympics in London had been sold exclusively, this arrangement was no longer viewed as ideal.

"We figured that with the previous model where one particular entity got it, it did not guarantee the widest enough coverage that we would want," Anderson told The Gleaner.

"By making it free, we believe that this is an opportunity for the widest possible coverage and opportunity for people to get the best," he added.

Among the presenters at yesterday's seminar were several advertising and media interests from around the country, as well as president of the Jamaica Olympic Association, Michael Fennell; executive director of the Jamaica Intellectual Property Organisation (JIPO), Lilyclaire Bellamy; Shena Stubbs-Gibson, senior legal adviser, The Gleaner Company (Media) Limited; Claire Clarke-Grant, general manager, Television Jamaica; and Don Anderson, board member, CANOC Broadcasting Inc.

The seminar was intended to sensitise potential advertisers about the rights governing coverage and the possible infringements which might occur during the Games from August 5-21.

AMBUSH MARKETING

Bellamy emphasised that no 'ambush marketing' involving the use of images of any Jamaican athlete would be tolerated and that any congratulatory messages could only be used with prior permission of the official sponsors of the Olympics (global and national).

Television Jamaica, which is part of the RJR Communications Group, parent body for The Gleaner, is one of several free-to-air television stations and cable networks which will provide coverage of the Olympics.

Anderson said CANOC, which is made up of representatives from 26 Caribbean countries, would earn revenue not from individual sale of the rights, but through a revenue sharing arrangement.

"We gain because we did not sell it to anybody (one entity). What they do is to give up some of their inventory. They can now sell advertising and we would get some revenue from that, so there is a revenue stream. We don't expect to lose because we expect the continuity going forward into 2020 (Tokyo Olympics)," he said.

"The model that has been developed is one that is supposed to guarantee the widest possible coverage, and we believe that from that perspective greater opportunity for advertising expenditure and revenue," Anderson added.

ESPN Caribbean will disseminate the broadcast feed throughout the Caribbean.

Local cable networks FLOW and SportsMax also have been provided broadcast access to the Games, and Anderson was quick to point out that no entity could legally block the broadcast on any competitors' platforms.

When the question was asked if Digicel Play would be excluded, Anderson said there was "no intent" for anyone to be blocked.