BBC Announces London 2012 Coverage
The BBC has revealed its lineup for the London 2012 Olympic Games, as well as a comprehensive coverage package, which includes nearly 2,500 hours of live Olympic action across BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC HD, BBC One HD and on the BBC Red Button.
Among the leading names who will be fronting the BBC’s coverage of the Games are Britain’s 1988 Olympic 110 metres hurdles silver medallist Colin Jackson and American quadruple Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson.
The 2012 London Olympics will represent the 15th Summer Olympic Games broadcast by the BBC, a sequence that began with the 1948 Games in London and one that has run unbroken since the 1960 Games in Rome, Italy.
As part of its coverage, the BBC is launching Radio 5 live Olympics extra, a brand new 24-hour radio station devoted to delivering extra coverage of the Games.
The BBC will provide a record number of broadcast hours for a sports event – 1,000 more than Beijing 2008 – and its pundits will also include a range of British Olympians, such as 400m bronze medallist Katharine Merry, double gold medal winning rower James Cracknell and Darren Campbell, a member of the British squad that won the 4x100m relay at Athens in 2004.
News reader Huw Edwards will be joined by Hazel Irvine and Trevor Nelson for the Opening Ceremony of London 2012 on July 27 in the Olympic Stadium.
Irvine will also join the BBC One breakfast team, while former England striker Gary Lineker, Gabby Logan, Clare Balding, Jonathan Edwards and John Inverdale will be among the presenters.
The BBC is also scheduling a host of Olympic and London related programming in the build up to and during London 2012, including a portrait of Usain Bolt, Olympics Most Amazing Moments and a three part series ‘British Olympic Dreams’.
At bbc.co.uk/sport users will have access to an enhanced and interactive video system, allowing viewers to watch live HD video coverage, switch between up to 24 live video streams, rewind live coverage and access live data, statistics and information while watching the action.
The site also offers pages for every sport, athlete, country and venue and immersive coverage that includes live updates and comments from across social media.
There will also be video and text guides to all the sports as well as an activity finder where those inspired to have a go at sport can find out about sessions near them.
The BBC has also developed an Olympics mobile browser site and Olympics mobile app so audiences have content at their fingertips while on the move.
Roger Mosey, BBC Director, London 2012, said: ‘The London 2012 Olympic Games is likely to be the biggest sporting event in the UK in our lifetimes and the BBC’s coverage will ensure that our audiences need never miss a moment.’
‘As the nation’s broadcaster we are committed to ensuring that viewers get the most from their Olympic experience and our comprehensive coverage will deliver on that promise.’
‘We will be bringing live coverage of every Olympic Sport from every venue, both through a combination of BBC One and BBC Three and up to 24 simultaneous streams live online on PC, mobile, tablet or connected TV. These services will be complemented by coverage on Radio 5 live, mobile and tablet, while the majority of cable and satellite viewers will be able to access the 24 channels on their providers’ platform through the BBC Red Button.’
‘Alongside our Sport offering, our News services will be providing impartial news coverage on all the big Olympic stories for the duration of the Games.’
