Bermuda To Have Caribbean Olympic Feed
Bermuda CableVision and VSB are teaming up this year to bring Caribbean focused television coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games to Bermuda.
U.S.-based Olympics coverage on NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC, and Canadian channels must be blacked out by all broadcast and cable systems across the region.
Exclusive Caribbean broadcast rights to London 2012 were acquired by International Media Content [IMC], parent company of cable channel SportsMax. IMC is investing more than U.S. $3.5 million to ensure more complete coverage of Caribbean athletes, and more hours of coverage than from prior Olympic Games.
Due to these international rights, IMC’s is the only television feed that will be available of the Olympics in the entire Caribbean region, of which Bermuda is a part, according to International Olympics Committee market division. CableVision secured the rights to broadcast this coverage, in partnership with local broadcaster VSB.
In addition CableVision extended the rights to cable provider WOW, in order to bring the Olympics to the entire island. The coverage will be transmitted on a round-the-clock basis on CableVision’s Channel 514 and VSB will carry coverage via a separate feed on its channel 11.
Bermuda CableVision general manager, Terry Roberson, explains: “It was our goal, along with VSB, to bring our viewers the most coverage possible of the Olympic Games. When CableVision learned that the IMC feed would be the only television coverage available to the entire region, we stepped up and purchased the rights so that Bermuda could enjoy the Olympics. In the spirit of the Games, we have extended the rights to WOW subscribers.
“It is important for viewers to understand that, in essence, it was this or nothing, since regulations require that all U.S.-based Olympics coverage on NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC, as well as Canadian channels, must be blacked out by all broadcast and cable systems across the region. This situation is beyond our control. However, the good news is that the IMC feed will deliver the most comprehensive coverage of the Olympics to date.
“Viewers will be treated to more than double the coverage that was available from the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Moreover, the regional focus that has been enabled by IMC’s investments will be more relevant to our local audiences, and will not have what some have referred to in the past as a ‘U.S. bias.’
“Sports fans who enjoy following non-Caribbean events such as synchronised swimming and gymnastics will still be able to enjoy those sports. In all, nearly 400 hours of television coverage will be aired via this broadcast feed from IMC. In comparison, the Beijing coverage that was made available totaled only 154 hours. All in all, this should make for an exciting experience of the Olympics for Bermuda viewers, and we hope they will enjoy it,” concluded Mr Roberson.
The Olympic Games start on July 27, and the Bermuda team includes Tyrone Smith and Arantxa King in track and field, Tyler Butterfield and Flora Duffy in the triathlon, Jesse and Zander Kirkland in sailing, Jillian Terceria in equestrian, and Roy Allan Burch in swimming.
In addition, Jessica Lewis has qualified in the 100m, 200m and 400m for the 2012 London Paralympic Games, while Bermudian Jenaya Wade-Fray has been selected for Great Britain Women’s Basketball Olympic squad.
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- 2012 Olympic Games To Get Underway Tonight | Bernews.com | July 27, 2012
Well that just f&$king sucks. Thankfully we have the internet.
Agree 100%…
So we have to watch fuzzy feed with incomprehensible commentary. That’s just great isn’t it.
Has the world not learned.. BERMUDA IN NOT IN THE CARIBBEAN!!!! or for that matter Latin America!!!
Nor is it in Europe, America or Canada, what do you suggest? We send VSB or ZBM over to cover?
I’d suggest we get the best service. Something the TV companies seem incapable of.
we are part of north America geographically.
ya who wants to see that? oh let me guess. Ewart
I imagine this will be in traditional “VSB quality”?
Bermuda is a thousand miles from the Caribbean. If the broadcast quality is anything like the quality on SportsMax, we might as well be getting the feed from ZBM!
Will any of the coverage be in HD? There was HD coverage of Euro 2012 and Wimbledon, so surely there will be of the Olympics too, right?
I think we know the answer to that.
I think this will give a different perspective of the game. I dont see anything wrong with th caribean feed
Suddenly the Olympics becomes a who cares event. VSB? No thanks. Lousy picture and listening to whoever from The Caribbean? Pass
did you not watch it 4 years ago
watched it 4 years ago and thus my comments….pass
Unlike the rest of these morons, I’d be happy to join OUR Caribbean region to enjoy the olympics. I trust that we will get great coverage of good quality.
Well, “great coverage of good quality” has never happened before with Caribbean coverage, has it. It’s always dismal.
But anyway, I guess we know at least one dumbs @ss who will be happy with crappy coverage and lousy pictures.
They have four years to prepare for this, get the licenses they need, and do it right. It’s not like it crops up with no notice.
Let’s recap for your bloggers of European decent….
“It is important for viewers to understand that, in essence, it was this or nothing, since regulations require that all U.S.-based Olympics coverage on NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC, as well as Canadian channels, must be blacked out by all broadcast and cable systems across the region. This situation is beyond our control. However, the good news is that the IMC feed will deliver the most comprehensive coverage of the Olympics to date”
the regional focus that has been enabled by IMC’s investments will be more relevant to our local audiences, and will not have what some have referred to in the past as a ‘U.S. bias.’
What are you, an apologist for Cablevision and VSB’s shortcomings?
So if we weren’t Classified in the Caribbean Reagion… We could watch the US and UK feeds….
Where is the freedom of choice.l….
Worst coverage ever! you would think that after 4 years VSB would get tech savvy. Thankfully I have dropped cablevision and got internet that allows me to watch what I want when I want to…..and saved a heck of alot of money in the process….
I was planning on watching the BBC’s coverage online anyway.
did no one listen and watch last time, everyone complained because the coverage was soooooooo bad, whats the bloody point in pay fro cablevison channels win the get blacked out does that mean I’m due a reduction in cv fees while olympics is on………………. i think answer is no
I simply cannot believe the nasty, inane comments surrounding this announcement. Just to put it in perspective, I hear that IMC started by approaching Bermuda Broadcasting to negotiate rights to the Olympic Games on the clear understanding that Bermuda Broadcasting must also seek agreement with a local cablevision company to provide additional coverage for local viewers i.e. not just one of Bermuda Broadcasting’s two TV stations but also at least one additional cablevision channel. This was apparently uncacceptable to Bermuda Broadcasting because of their ongoing dispute with Cablevision. In other words, if left to Bermuda Broadcasting they would have provided Olympic coverage on just one TV channel – presumably channel 7. I wonder if these critcis would have been happy with that deal?
Fortunately for the Bermuda public, Cablevision stepped up to the wicket and negotiated a deal, along with VSB, to provide coverage both on channel 11 and one of their cablevision channels, providing nearly 400 hours of coverage compared with 154 hours for the Beijing Games. And just to ensure we have coverage Islandwide, Cablevision has generously extended the rights to WOW.
This may be difficult for some to swallow, but whether we like it or not, IMC has exclusive rights to all of the Caribbean AND Bermuda. We might argue that Bermuda is not a part of the Caribbean but we are definitely not a part of the U.S. or Canada.
So, we are going to receive more coverage of the Olympic Games that ever (no thanks to Bermuda Broadcasting), and we are going to see numerous non-Caribbean events during the Games, on channel 11, on channel 514 around-the-clock, and on WOW.
“Right is Right” is right in a way! We have freedom of choice. We can choose to try watching the Games on our computers. We can choose to watch the coverage provided through the IMC deal. Or we can choose to leave our TV’s switched off.
I plan to sit back and enjoy the London Games in front of my TV, and I’ll be the first to complain if reception is poor, but I’m delighted that VSB and Cablevision are doing their best to bring us extended coverage and allowing WOW to also do the same. The alternative to this deal was NO COVERAGE – period. I really hope that the local sponsors don’t get ticked off with all of these moaners and complainers to the point where they withdraw their sponsorship.
Roll on the London Olympics – and may the weather over there improve.
Whats the point of stellar Caribbean coverage if we can’t even make out the country being represented due to abysmal image quality? (aka almost every Olympics) The only way Cablevision/VSB should be proud of carrying this feed is if it’s in HD… and we all know what VSB’s feed looks like… Cablevision, you’re up next!
21st century and we will be watching a 1960′s tv standard. Appalling decision. If VSB cannot provide HD then someone else should be permitted to do so. After all it is not the same product.
I Agree with Rich……….bring on the “real” B.B.C………….hail to the homeland coverage……..we are still British Pon de Rock, INNIT!!!!!
Surely there is a broadcasting commission we can object to?
Here you are James please sign the petition to the Telecom Commission.
Please join this campaign: http://www.change.org/petitions/bermuda-telecommunications-commission-stop-hd-olympic-content-being-blocked-in-bermuda?share_id=WMBHAeAjST&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition
The olympics was the original reason we got our slingbox!! I don’t have to watch the horrible feed and limited coverage offered locally. Once we put it in 6 years ago, we dropped cablevision and never went back.
The small price one pays for living in paradise!!
I bet Kenny & Finance have a dish……..
No matter how much noise people make, Bermuda is now considered to be a member of Caricom (maybe we should “thank” Government for that) and we are legally bound to IMC coverage only because they have exclusive rights with the IOC to provide coverage in this area. Unfortunately, IMC do not yet transmit in HD so Cablevision’s channel 514 can only transmit in SD (standard definition). Cablevision also has no control over the standard of picture provided by VSB (or Bermuda Broadcasting). I believe they are merely the carrier for local TV stations just as WOW is.
I agree it would be great to be able to watch the Olympics on U.S., Canadian, and on BBC channels, but the IOC is a powerful organization and will not allow anyone other than IMC to broadcast the Games in our area. Cablevision has no choice in this matter. They will be sued if they transmit coverage from these other countries.
I would be the first to criticize Cablevision for any legitimate reason, but I have to give them credit for negotiating to broadcast the Games, for allowing us to watch it on channel 514 for free, and for allowing WOW to broacast it to their customers. Without Cablevision we would watch nothing – period.
Perhaps the Telecom Commission can make a statement explaining the situation and confirming that it is not Cablevision making the decisions about not broadcasting in HD and blacking out other Games coverage.
Can slingboxer please let us know what is the quality of transmission he receives through the internet. From what I can see it is much worse than what we can expect on channel 514 unless we have a very high speed internet connection which most of us don’t have.
514 has to be better than VSB…….VSB is to TV channels what the PLP is to political parties……anything has to be better…..
Yeah for the IMC coverage enjoyed it the last time. I did not want to sit and watch the biased NBC coverage where the only athletes that mattered are the Americans even if they finished dead last all the focus will be on them. Bring it on IMC/Sportsmax/CableVision. For the ones who don’t want to associate with the Caribbean too bad in in most of us bloods for more than 350 years. Take that…..
Will cancel useless local Cable and stick with my VSP and BBC etc. now if only I could get the local, overpriced Internet service providers to function properly…. Cancel your subs and go online.