October 30 , 2010

First-ever High-Definition Asian Games coverage in Hong Kong

(October 30, 2010 - Hong Kong) CABLE TV, four-time Official Broadcaster of the Asian Games, today (Saturday) announced details of its comprehensive coverage of the 2010 Asian Games, which will be broadcast in high-definition format for the first time in Hong Kong.

The Games, to be held in Guangzhou between November 12 and 27, will be covered in full via dedicated channels on the CABLE TV platform - the i-CABLE Sports Channel (Ch 62), Channel 63, and high definition channel hd202, with total broadcasting duration of up to at least 12 hours a day.

The i-CABLE Super Soccer Channel (Ch 61) will be dedicated to carry selected Asian Games soccer matches, starting from the preliminary rounds from November 7.

Selected events, including the opening and closing ceremonies, will be carried LIVE on CABLE No. 1 Channel , and event highlights will be available at the i-CABLE website (www.i-cable.com).

This is the fourth consecutive times CABLE TV bring Asian Games to Hong Kong viewers as Official Broadcaster, following Bangkok, Busan and Doha in 1998, 2002 and 2006 respectively.

i-CABLE News will also be sending its sports teams to Guangzhou to provide the Hong Kong public with up-to-the-minute reporting of the excitement at the venues, with hourly bulletins.

Commenting on the unprecedented live HD coverage of the Asian Games, i-CABLE News and Sports Ltd. Executive Director Ronald Chiu said it is a breakthrough that meets viewers' aspiration for HD services.

Chiu added: "It also represents CABLE TV's continuing commitment to enhancing its HD services, following HD live coverage of other major sports events earlier this year - the 2010 Winter Olympics in February and the 2010 FIFA World Cup in June/July; and the ongoing Barclays Premier League and UEFA Champions League that kicked off in August."

i-CABLE Sports Ltd Vice President Isabelle Tsang described the production of 2010 Asian Games as "very challenging".

"Since Guangzhou is so close to Hong Kong, viewers expect to get the latest news and results fast. Their expectations will be met by our professional frontline and production teams, who have extensive experience in the coverage of major live sports events.

"Two SD channels as well as one HD channel are devoted to cover the event proper to ensure that viewers will not miss events that take place at the same time," she said.

With just two weeks to go before the big event, CABLE TV today held a Final Countdown ceremony at the Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, appealing to the public to support Hong Kong Delegation. The event was officiated by Sport Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC) President Timothy Fok and Ms Tsang.

Other guests at the event included members of the 16th Asian Games Hong Kong China Delegation, led by Chef de Mission Vivien Lau, and SF&OC Hon. Secretary General Pang Chung. Also turning out in force were presenters and commentators of CABLE TV.

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