The Host Broadcaster is responsible for delivering the pictures and sounds that tell the story of the Olympic Games, taking the competition into the homes of billions of viewers around the world.
The role of the “Olympic Broadcasting Organisation” (OBO) or “Host Broadcaster” is now a well-established one, basically resembling the organisation that was created at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, by the then Domestic Rights Holder (ABC).
The Host Broadcaster function was created because it is logistically impossible for every interested country to send a broadcast production crew to cover the Games. Instead, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) mandated that a Host Broadcast organisation be created for each Olympic Games. The Host Broadcaster was deemed responsible for producing and transmitting the unbiased live radio and television coverage of the Games. This transmission is called the International Television and Radio (ITVR) signal or the World Feed.
The ITVR signal is impartial and universally produced so that there is no focus on one particular athlete or country. The ITVR signal contains graphics, replays and natural sound from the venues, but not commentators, interviews or advertising. Rather, broadcast organisations from across the globe buy the rights to the Host Broadcaster’s ITVR signal. These broadcasters then supplement the ITVR signals with their own specific production elements, using their own play-by-play commentary, on-camera interviews and sometimes even their own cameras. This allows each of the broadcast organisations to cater their specific programming to their own home audience.
The broadcast organisations that own the rights to the Olympic feed are referred to as Rights Holding Broadcasters (RHBs). Rights Holding Broadcasters for the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing include bodies such as the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) of the United States, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), Channel 7 in Australia, the Korean Poll and the Japan Consortium. Television rights represent approximately 50 percent of the total income of the entire Olympic Movement.
While producing the multilateral coverage, the Host Broadcaster is equally responsible for ensuring each of the RHBs acquire the facilities and services necessary for their own unilateral coverage of the Games. The Host Broadcaster acts as a liaison with the Local Organizing Committee, the International Sports Federations and various other entities to ensure the RHBS requirements are delivered.
A more detailed explanation of the complete duties of the Host Broadcaster can be found below:
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Produce the international television and radio (ITVR) signals of the Games as mandated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Rights Holding Broadcasters (RHBs)
The ITVR signals are the international television signals in “picture and sound” and the international radio signals. The ITVR signals are produced by the Host Broadcaster and consist of a live television picture in the local television standard with related background sound and no commentary or interviews. Generally all the sporting events at all venues are part of the ITVR signals, as are the Opening and Closing Ceremony, medal ceremonies and the IOC and/or Organizing Committee daily press conferences at the Main Press Center. The ITVR signals are objective and impartial, not focused on athletes from one or a number of countries, but rather covering the events for an international audience. The ITVR signals are produced exclusively by the Host Broadcaster and include slow-motion replays, basic TV graphics and timings.
- Design, build, install and operate and then dismantle the IBC
The International Broadcast Centre (IBC) is a radio and television broadcasting complex where the Host Broadcaster receives and distributes the ITVR signals generated at the venues. All broadcast telecommunications facilities both for contribution and distribution are concentrated at the IBC. The IBC is also designed to accommodate the Rights Holders and to place at their disposal, according to their needs, broadcasting equipment, constructed space and basic services enabling them to prepare and transmit their radio and television coverage of the Olympic Games.
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Assist the Organizing Committee in the design and building of infrastructure needed at the venues to accommodate the needs of OBS and the RHBs
In collaboration with the Local Organizing Committee, the Host Broadcaster must supervise the development of the necessary infrastructures at the different Olympic venues to ensure the successful production of the radio and television signal. The Host Broadcaster not only supervises the infrastructure required for the multilateral signal, but also ensures that all unilateral facilities and services are correctly installed based on pre-defined requirements.
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Coordinate and provide various facilities and services to the RHBs
A variety of facilities and service are made available to the RHBs in order to ensure each organisation can properly cover the Olympic Games. The facilities and services are available for purchase or rental and supplied by either the Host Broadcaster and/or the Local Organizing Committee. The Host Broadcaster supplied services include broadcast unilateral facilities available at the IBC (space, construction, studios, etc.) and at the venues (commentary positions, compound space, circuits, broadcast telecom, etc.). The Organizing Committee supplied services generally include facilities and service not provided by the Host Broadcaster, including office equipment, mobile phone services, internet lines (general telecommunications), etc.
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Represent the needs of the RHBs to the Local Organizing Committee regarding a variety of facilities and services
In addition to developing its own production plan, the Host Broadcaster must coordinate and gain approval for the various unilateral requests submitted by the RHBs. These facilities include, but are not limited to camera positions, commentary positions, announce positions, mixed zone positions, etc
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Produce various features and maintain an Olympic archival service
The Host Broadcaster is responsible for producing a variety of thematic features and B-rolls with an emphasis on the Olympic city and surrounding areas of interest. The features are designed to provide RHBs with a comprehensive collection of story options capturing the beauty, history and spirit of the Olympic site. Additionally, the Host Broadcaster is responsible for archiving all broadcast footage to be made available to Rights Holding Broadcasters during the Games and to the IOC at the close of the Games.