Satellite Information Services' (SIS) Live has promised the best-ever coverage of this year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi after awarding a key and exclusive contract for broadcast services, including technical equipment and diversified production and Coverage services event to South East Asia's largest broadcast services company, Zoom Communications Ltd. 

SIS Live is contracted to provide the production and coverage facilities and services for the Games, providing coverage of 17 sports across 12 venues as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

In addition, SIS Live will provide feeds from five "Beauty Spots", offering round-the-clock coverage of scenic views around Delhi, including one highlighting the main stadium.

The $500 million (£306 million) contract involves up to 40 production areas and outside broadcast kits of various sizes, over 350 high-definition (HD) camera channels, 100 HD long lenses, 115 EVS ( instant tapeless technology) hard disk recorders, as well as a wide range of specialist production and camera equipment.

SIS Live, which covers 100,000 hours of live events worldwide each year, including Formula One, Wimbledon, UEFA Champions League football and European Tour Golf, and delivers approximately 80 per cent of live news feeds across the UK, will utilise over 1,200 highly skilled technicians, production crew and support staff drawn from across the world during Games time.

Under the terms of the deal with Zoom Communications Ltd. the Indian company will provide the majority of the HD equipment.

Phil Aspden, the Head of Commercial at SIS Live, said: "SIS Live is responsible for managing all aspects of the broadcast production facilities and services, reporting to the Host Broadcaster, Doordarshan (DD).

"We are working incredibly closely with Zoom Communications to deliver the best technical provision for the 2010 Games."

SIS Live will provide a department that will be responsible for the planning, installation, and maintenance of all technical facilities, at the competition venues.

This will involve liaising with the host broadcaster, DD, to ensure the successful delivery of all technical requirements at the venues, including commentary positions, presentation studios, announcer positions, commentary control rooms and technical operations centres.

SIS Live will be responsible for the planning, budgeting, delivery and supervision of all television and radio broadcast requirements.

This includes the coverage plan for each sport and the staffing plans, technical plans and equipment plans to support the coverage.

SIS Live and Zoom communications will install and operate at each venue, all the necessary equipment to produce the International Television and Radio Signals (ITRS), also known as the "basic feed". 

This consists of everything from the live television pictures and sound, commentary, titling, timings and results, slow motion replays, special effects and on-screen credits.

SIS Live will also provide the entire creative look and feel of all aspects of the Games, agreed in conjunction with DD and the local organising committee.

SIS Live will also provide the editorial and production personnel at the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) to generate two daily highlights packages, each of one hour duration.

This will happen on each day of the Games, and include the Opening and Closing ceremonies.

SIS Live have already made the first of a series of 12 pre-Games 30-minute long programmes, which are available for transmission on the first day of each month for the entire year prior to the commencement of the Games, starting with the Queen’s Baton Relay from Buckingham Palace in London in October 2009.

Story courtesy of insidethegames.biz.