The Rio-Olympic-hype is picking up some serious momentum as we near the starting date for what is arguably the most anticipated international sporting event in the world- next to the World Cup. And the good news for Channel 7 viewers is that we will be airing the full length of the games as we did in 2012 - with the same Caribbean flavor, only with a little more polish. A new organization called CANOC Broadcasting Incorporated signed an agreement with the International Olympic organizers to broadcast the games in a way that highlights our Caribbean athletes without all that American bias you'll see on the family of NBC channels. The CEO of CANOC broadcasting Incorporated flew into Belize for one day to finalize the broadcasting arrangements with the two carriers of the games - Channel 5 and channel 7- the sole rights holders for the Olympics in Belize. He told us about the vision behind the coverage:
Michael Romany, CEO - CANOC Broadcasting
"I think what's important for the Belizean audience to understand is that the CANOC broadcasting has literally hired ESPN to do the production utilizing our on air talent and our Caribbean analysts to actually run the shows. They will be doing the production using their normal ESPN veneer so that the public will see a very highly professional production using the same life signals that you will normally see the Americans use or the British uses. I think what's important is that when athletes are coming out of the tunnel after having competed, just like the British would speak to the British athletes and the U.S would speak to the U.S athletes, you will see the Caribbean commentators in the tunnel speaking to the Caribbean athletes. Belize is coming out the tunnel, they just finished the 100 asking how they feel, and they get that comment. In addition, in the past we've had a fleeting glance of any opening ceremony of any of our teams, now you will see the full minute. You will actually see the team crossing across because we'll have a dedicated view of what's going to be happening."
Emanuel Pech
"What is importance of culturally relevant feed that we will be seeing here in Belize and the other Caribbean countries?"
Michael Romany, CEO - CANOC Broadcasting
"I think that's very important because we've always been at the vagaries of the U.S or the Canadians and so nothing is wrong with that, they have been able to provide us with something that we couldn't get before. I think now we've grown up and we have an opportunity to show ourselves. We have good people in broadcast across the region, people in sports science, people that are doing coaching at the highest level, producing medals. The Caribbean has a significant amount of medals in from the London 2012 and we expect the same. It's only fitting that now we actually have a production that follows Caribbean athletes and interviews Caribbean athletes not only in track and field, in swimming, in judo, in all of the disciplines that they're going to be competing in."
Emanuel Pech
"So we're going to be seeing a lot more Caribbean athletes."
Michael Romany, CEO - CANOC Broadcasting
"Definitely, you'll be seeing every athlete from the Caribbean who's competing in Rio, they'll have a face time on ESPN."
The new CANOC arrangement is being offered to 20 Caribbean countries. So do remember to tune in to Channel 7 on August 5th for your Caribbean-centric coverage.
Email
Print