Doha, October 19 2004
Doha Asian Games Organising Committee (DAGOC) has issued a Letter of Acceptance to Doha Asian Games Broadcast Services (DAGBS) and, subject to the signing of the Contract later this month, will officially appoint them as the Host Broadcaster for the 2006 Asian Games.
DAGOC wishes to deliver the highest possible standard of television coverage and broadcast facilities and services to its Broadcast Partners and the appointment of DAGBS is a major step in achieving this goal.
DAGBS is a joint venture between TWI and Host Broadcast Services (HBS), created specifically to provide a full complement of broadcast services for the Doha 2006 Games.
Commenting on the decision, the Director General of Doha Asian Games Organising Committee, Abdulla Khalid Al Qahtani, said, "The Games are the major focal point for Qatar over the next few years and will bring major benefits to our country. The provision of a world-class standard of television coverage of the Games will be a key aspect of its success. We are excited by the appointment of DAGBS because it is very rare that two companies with such great experience join together to provide these services. Both companies are recognised as world leaders in their respective fields, and we think this dynamic combination will deliver the best ever Host Broadcast coverage of an Asian Games".
Bill Sinrich, Chairman of DAGBS and Chief Executive of TWI, said: "I am delighted to continue TWI's association with Qatar, working with DAGOC and HBS to ensure that the 2006 Doha Asian Games are the most successful ever using the wealth of experience and industry expertise that our two companies bring to the table. Our goal is quite simply to make 2006 the Games that live on in the memories of millions across the globe, and provide the city of Doha with a lasting international profile long after the closing ceremony. This is a truly exciting opportunity, whose potential can only be achieved by providing the best television and radio coverage the world has ever seen".
Francis Tellier, CEO of DAGBS and CEO of HBS said : "I am very proud that HBS and TWI have been selected. This is the confirmation that HBS lives up to its reputation - achieved in a mere 5 years - to be able to deliver its missions in a trustworthy, reliable and cost effective manner, teamed up with the most relevant partners".
TWI, IMG's television arm is the world's largest independent producer, packager and distributor of sports programming, distributing nearly 9,000 hours of live events and original programming each year, across 200 countries and covering more than 200 sports. TWI represents the television rights and distributes programming for some of the world's most prominent sports and cultural organisations including the Rugby World Cup, FA Premier League, Wimbledon and the Nobel Institute, and is regarded as the world's premier sports production house. TWI has produced sports events in Qatar for more than 10 years including tennis, athletics and golf.
Host Broadcast Services (HBS) is a dedicated host broadcast organisation, set up in 1999 with the core mandate of producing the television and radio signals for the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. Since then it has built its unique capabilities by combining a permanent core team of experienced personnel with FIFA World Cups and other major sporting events to their credit and specific expertise drawn from the very best levels of the television industry.
The appointment of DAGBS will enable the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee provide more than 3,000 hours of television coverage of the 40 sports on the current Competition Schedule. Each sport will be covered by a specialist production unit chosen from TWI's extensive network of producers, directors and crew in Asia and around the world. The Games will include a series of "firsts" which will act as benchmarks for all future Asian Games. Those "firsts" include:
An independent and non-aliened Host Broadcaster, "Dream Team" TV production units that specialise in all sports of the Games particularly those sports specific to Asia, HDTV coverage of Athletics, Swimming and Gymnastics, Full SDi 16 x 9 production coverage of all other sports, A range of Pre-Games programming updating progress of the Games and 2 x Daily Highlights programmes each day of competition that will include coverage of all medal events.
Doha Asian Games Organising Committee will benefit from the quality services and facilities brought to the project by DAGBS. The services include Broadcast Venue management, engineering and operations, construction and management of the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) and support to all TV and Radio Broadcaster Rights Holders.
A Host Broadcaster is a dedicated service provider producing the television and radio signals for major sporting events. It produces the pictures and sounds of all sports and delivers the signals to the International Broadcast Centre from where they are distributed around the world by the Broadcast Rights Holders. The Host Broadcaster assists television and radio broadcasters in their own (unilateral) operations by providing technical facilities and associated services at the stadiums (commentary positions, camera positions and television studios and more) and at the International Broadcast Centre (production space, technical rooms, international distribution and office space).
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About Doha Asian Games Organising Committee
The Doha Asian Games Organising Committee, established in the year 2000 and chaired by the Heir Apparent of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, is responsible for the overall planning, overseeing, and executing of all the elements to produce a harmonised and triumphant 15th Asian Games in Doha 2006. A budget of US$2.8 billion is being invested to turn the region's sporting capital, Doha into one of the most modern sporting cities in the world.
The Asian Games is the second largest international sporting event after the Summer Olympic Games. It brings together countries from all over Asia and consists of some sports not very well known on an international level.
The First Asian Games took place in New Delhi in 1951 and welcomed 11 countries playing in just six sports. Now 55 years later, the 15th Asian Games, Doha 2006 is expecting 45 countries who will participate in 40 competitive sports totalling 411 events. The number of women athletes has been steadily rising over the years and Qatar expects around 2000 female athletes in 2006.
Relatively small at 11,437 square Kilometres, Qatar has proved itself as a pivotal hub for various events, conferences and tournaments. So far it has been the meeting place for The Islamic Conference Summit, The World Trade Organisation Conference, The World Football Cup (Under 19's), The Athletics Grand Prix, The Tennis Open, The Squash Tournament, and The Golf Masters Tournament in addition to many others.
For Press and Media Contact Information about DAGOC contact:
Wael M. Barghouti
Head of Media Relations
Marketing & Public Relations Department
Doha Asian Games Organising Committee
Suhaim bin Hamad Street
Telephone: +974 448 2492
Facsimile: +974 447 9607
Mobile: +974 5546518
P.O. Box 32006,
Doha
State of Qatar
email: wbarghouti@dagoc2006.org
Website: http://www.doha-2006.com
About TWI
TWI has a wealth of experience of operating in Asia with offices throughout the region, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. TWI has also been appointed host broadcaster for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
TWI media information contact:
Madeleine Pallas
PR Manager for European Operations
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8233 7425
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8233 5301
Mob: +44 (0) 7973 326 422
mpallas@imgworld.com
About HBS
Host Broadcast Services (HBS) is a dedicated host broadcast organisation, established in 1999, based in Switzerland with a planning headquarters in Boulogne-Paris.
HBS built its unique capabilities by combining experienced personnel from previous FIFA World Cups with expertise drawn from the very best/top levels of the television industry.
Its missions are to deliver the highest achievable standards of coverage, facilities and service to Broadcasters of the FIFA World Cups. To this mission, has been added the requirement to "push the envelope" forward in sports broadcasting and apply its expertise to other sports and events, such as the Asian Games.
The HBS Group is a subsidiary of Infront Sports and Media.
Media information contact:
Nicola Taylor
Telephone : + 33 1 55 19 2006
Email : ntaylor@hostbroadcastservices.com
Website : www.hbs.tv
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© Press Release 2004