KEY POINTS:
Sky Television has been awarded the New Zealand broadcast rights to coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 2012 Summer Games in London.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today said it selected Sky and its free-to-air channel, Prime, on their capacity to reach the broadest possible audience through a variety of broadcast platforms.
IOC president Jacques Rogge said he was pleased to have secured a broadcasting agreement.
"We are delighted to be working with Sky who came to us with a complete package that will allow not only increased coverage of the Olympic Games, but also the promotion of Olympic sports and Olympic values beyond the 16 days of competition," Rogge said.
The IOC's traditional broadcast partner has been Television New Zealand, which has the rights for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Sky chief executive John Fellet hoped the agreement would begin a long-term arrangement.
"We are pleased to be awarded the Olympic Games broadcast rights for 2010 and 2012, and we look forward to beginning a new and successful relationship with the IOC," Fellet said.
"We are confident that New Zealanders will be extremely well served by the widest-ever offering of Olympic coverage across a variety of media platforms."
- NZPA
