Today marks 40 days to go until the start of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. With the Games fast approaching its time to take at look at what Australia’s official Olympics broadcaster the Ten Network (Ten) will be offering Australian viewers.
Ten will deliver its coverage across its various platforms, including its primary channel TEN, HD channel ONE and its new online platform tenplay.
Ten will broadcast over 360 hours of live coverage (there will be 24 hour coverage on ONE), including the opening and closing ceremonies. It will have more than 550 hours of coverage in total. Also, similar to Foxtel’s coverage of the London Summer Olympics in 2012, Ten will have eight dedicated channels online on tenplay.
Ten Chief Executive Officer, Hamish McLennan, said:
“Sochi will play host to the most spectacular Olympic Winter Games…the combination of TEN, ONE and tenplay will ensure our coverage of this global sporting event is comprehensive, compelling and engaging.”
Ten’s Olympic programming will include:
- Sochi Tonight (nightly at 6pm) – hosted from Ten’s Melbourne studio by Stephen Quartermain and Alisa Camplin OAM.
- Sochi Live (evening) – hosted by Mel McLaughlin at Olympic Park in Sochi and Stephen Quartermain and Alisa Camplin in Melbourne.
- Sochi Live (overnight) - Brad McEwan takes over the helm of Sochi Live, with live coverage running right through until 5.30am (plus extended coverage on weekends).
- ONE will have 24-hour coverage of the Games. From 6.00pm to 6.00am on ONE, Greg Rust and Nicole Livingstone will present live coverage, giving viewers the opportunity to watch their favourite Winter Olympic events. Then right through each day, ONE will encore all of the best highlights, action and medals from overnight in Sochi.
- eight dedicated channels on tenplay (including support on Xbox and zeebox)
Joining Ten’s commentary team for the Games includes Olympic Winter Games Gold medallists Steven Bradbury and Alisa Camplin, Steven Lee, Mitch Tomlinson, Steph Hickey, Mark Howard, Nuala Hafner, Matt Doran, Magdalena Roze, Danielle Isdale and Scott Mackinnon.
Ten will also leverage its Olympics coverage across other programming with:
- Wake Up presenting the latest information, boasting overnight results, interviews, live crosses and news brought to viewers by newsreader Nuala Hafner and reporters Magdalena Roze and Mazoe Ford, all live from Sochi.
- TEN Eyewitness News will feature up-to-the-minute coverage from presenters in Sochi including Scott Mackinnon, Matt Doran, Melinda Nucifora and Max Futcher, plus The Project will have its own on-ground presenters filing reports.
With strong ratings for Ten’s coverage of the KFC Big Bash League, the platform is set for Ten to generate strong ratings with its Olympics coverage. Hamish McLennan has bet a lot on sports programming to regenerate Ten’s ratings and advertising revenue share.
Given the early success of the BBL on Ten, 2014 is looking good for Ten and the Winter Olympics coverage from February 7 (Feb 8 in Australia) should only help the network reach its former glory days.
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The Countdown Is On. 100 Days To Go.