Sky to telecast Commonwealth Games in NZ

Sky Television confirmed today that agreement has been reached with TVNZ to purchase the broadcast rights for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games coverage will be available on SKY’s sport channels, free-to-air channel PRIME, the Internet and Mobile TV.

During the 12 days of the competition free-to-air channel PRIME will broadcast 12 hours each day of LIVE Games coverage together with a daily highlights package.

SKY will also dedicate five 24 hour channels to the Commonwealth Games – more than 1400 hours of television coverage. In addition to this, there will also be a two hour daily highlights package over the course of the games on SKY Sport, regular 30 minute updates on SKY’s Sport Highlights channel and extensive Internet and Mobile TV coverage.

John Fellet, Chief Executive, SKY Television said, “The combination of free-to-air and pay television coverage for a key sports event like the Commonwealth Games is a winner for all New Zealanders and will provide them with more extensive and comprehensive coverage than they have ever seen before.”

Commonwealth Games baton to fight drug abuse

Zambia has decided to use the Queen's baton relay for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India to fight drug abuse among children.

There is palpable interest in this southern African country as it awaits the Commonwealth Games baton for its two-day sojourn in the country.

The baton will be arriving here from Malawi on Jan 23 and will leave for Botswana Jan 24. "We have tied up with the Drug Enforcement Commission to use the relay to fight drug abuse," media liaison officer of the Queen Baton's Relay committee in Zambia Haroon Ghumra

He said that elaborate arrangements are being made to give a high profile to the Queen's Baton, which will arrive in Zambia on the 87th day of the relay, accompanied by a four-member delegation.

"The protocol is that when the baton lands in the country, the first person to lay hands on it has to be the guest of honour. We are trying to get high dignitaries to come for this event," he said.

It is expected that Kenneth Kaunda, the first president of Zambia, who was a close friend of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, will participate in the baton relay.

Children from two prominent schools in the Zambian capital will participate in the two-day event, which inspired the committee to talk about a socially-relevant topic to the large audience that will be present.

"We plan to have information displays and give communication material to the school children," Ghumra said.

Eighteen countries from Africa are members of the 72-member Commonwealth group of nations.

The relay was launched by British Queen Elizabeth II on Oct 29 from Buckingham Palace, in the presence of Indian President Pratibha Patil.

The baton will reach India late June, after which it will get a guided tour around the country before reaching Delhi for the inauguration of the Commonwealth Games Oct 3.

TVNZ sells Delhi Commonwealth Games rights to Sky sports

Sky TV and its free-to-air channel Prime will broadcast the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India after buying the rights from Television New Zealand.

Radio New Zealand understands the rights were bought by the pay TV network for about $US 4 million - half the amount state broadcaster TVNZ originally paid for them.

TVNZ will not comment on the amount, but says over time the deal will become cost neutral.

Live coverage of the Games in Delhi will be broadcast on Sky Sports channels and Prime, as well as online and mobile TV.

Under the deal, TVNZ will only be allowed to play newsclips and highlights of the Games to held from 3-14 October.

Sky TV chief executive John Fellet says the 12 hours per day of live coverage on Prime will mostly focus on events featuring New Zealand athletes, with broader coverage of the Games shown on Sky Sports.

TVNZ was forced to sell the rights after predicting it would lose about $NZ5 million on the total cost of covering the Games.

CISF starts dog breeding center in Delhi

In view of the rising demand for sniffer dogs at airports and Delhi Metro and for the Commonwealth Games, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Tuesday launched its own dog breeding and training centre.

CISF Director General N.R. Das inaugurated the breeding and training ground in Ghaziabad close to Delhi.

"The initiative has been taken to cater to the increased demands of sniffer dogs at bomb disposal squads at various airports all across the country, Delhi Metro and for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi," said CISF spokesman Rohit Katiyar.

"Initially training will be given to 18 dogs by our men with the help of experts from the sister paramilitary organizations. We have procured best pedigreed pups of Labrador and Cocker Spaniel breeds and they would be trained for eight months before being deployed," he added.

The CISF has become the second paramilitary force after Border Security Force (BSF) to have a training centre for dogs. The force is deployed at all airports, Delhi Metro stations and establishments, and public undertaking units in the country.