Sochi, Russia, 2014-1-27 — /travelprnews.com/ — The 2014 Games in Sochi will be the first winter games to have individual events broadcast in Super Hi-Vision digital format, which has 16 times the resolution of HDTV with 22.2 surround sound. The Olympic and Paralympic events will be filmed using brand new spidercams, rail cams, and cameras mounted on snowmobiles, filming will also be done from helicopters and airships. For the first time a team of Russian professionals will broadcast the sports events at world class level – 535 television specialists from 10 Russian regions will work on transmitting the national signal in Sochi.
In total around 11000 representatives of television or radio companies have broadcasting rights at the Sochi Games. A television audience of at least 3 billion will be watching the Games.
The Olympic Broadcasting Service
The Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), set up by the International Olympic Committee, is responsible for the international television signal for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and providing services to broadcasters. The International Olympic Committee hold all rights to television and radio broadcasting.
The OBS is the Host Broadcaster and will set up an international signal to be used by broadcasters from all sports venues based at the International and Gorki Broadcasting Centers which are part of the International and Gorki Media Centers. From here the signal will be transmitted to broadcasters on television networks all over the world.
The international television signal will be set up and operate directly at sports venues. The picture can be improved and mounted at the Main Media Center. Final editing can be done by broadcasters who have the right to broadcast the Games, both in Sochi and in the country in which it will be broadcast.
90 broadcasting companies hold rights to the Games, including sub-licensees and broadcasting unions, from 123 countries.
Innovative Technology
The Games will see the use of 120000 pieces of equipment, 10000 radio stations, 1600 video cameras, 5000 televisions and 20 video screens.
One of the most interesting technological solutions in filming the Games is the use of spidercams. These give an unusual level of freedom to the cameramen: the camera can be moved freely and fluidly in three dimensions and can show the events in as much detail as possible with unique angles which are not possible using other technologies.
ANO “Sports Broadcasting”
ANO “Sports Broadcasting” (“Panorama”), the official broadcaster of the Games, will set up the national television signal for the XXII Olympic Winter Games and help to set up the international television signal for the Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi.
The Olympic Broadcasting Service, set up by the IOC, traditionally transmits the international signal for the Games, to portray the events as objectively as possible. Therefore athletes are given time on air only in relation to their sports achievements. The international television signal forms the base of the national signal.
Between 6 and 23 February “Panorama” will transmit the national television signal for rights-holders in the Russian Federation so that Russian athletes, coaches, fans and VIPs can be given more air time. Up to 30% of the international signal will be the same as the national so viewers should not notice any differences in creative concepts or technological solutions between the two signals.
To set up the national signal for all Games events 12 outside broadcasting vans (OB vans) will be set up, three with 24 cameras, four with 16 cameras and five with 10 cameras; there will also be 7 digital satellite news gathering vans (DSNG vans), a mobile control room and a media office.
535 television specialists from 10 Russian regions will work on the national signal in Sochi, with another 40 working remotely from Moscow.
The “Panorama” team will be involved in the coverage of future major sports events in Russia, and equipment used at the Olympics will continue to be used for many years, becoming part of the television legacy of the Games.
Another innovative system will be involved in the national program – a media office, which will allow materials from a huge archive of 2000 hours of video footage to be found and used within 40-60 seconds.
On the “Panorama” website www.russiasport.ru, on www.sochi2014.com, and on the RussiaSport mobile app, viewers will be able to see live broadcasts of all Games events as well as more than 1000 additional video clips of goals, action at the finish lines, medal ceremonies and other highlights, and clips organized by theme.
Between 7 and 16 March “Panorama” and the Olympic Broadcasting Service (OBS) will transmit the international television signal for the Paralympic Winter Games. For the first time the broadcasting will be entrusted to a television company from the host country. The creative and technological solutions for the international signal were approved at 5 Paralympic test events held in Sochi in 2012-2013.
More than 335 specialists and technicians will be involved in transmitting the international signal: 9 OB vans, three with 24 cameras, three with 16 cameras and three with 10 cameras, 3 DSNG vans, and 9 TV journalist teams.
“Panorama” plans to broadcast the Paralympic Winter Games in full at www.russiasport.ru.
All footage of the Paralympic Winter Games broadcast on the site will be accompanied by a commentary in Russia. It will also be accessible on iOS and Android using the RussiaSport mobile app. The signal will only be transmitted on the territory of the Russian Federation.
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Sochi 2014 Games the first winter games to have sports events broadcast in Super Hi-Vision digital format