CCEA okays Rs 463 cr for broadcasting Commonwealth Games

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent | Mumbai
The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal of Information & Broadcasting ministry regarding coverage of the Commonwealth Youth Games at Pune between October 12-18, 2008 and the Commonwealth Games at New Delhi in October, 2010 by the Prasar Bharati and Press Information Bureau at a cost of Rs 463 crore.

During a briefing after the CCEA meet, P Chidambaram, Finance Minister, said "The estimated fund requirement would be Rs 463 crore of which 50 per cent is a grant from the government while the rest is given as an interest free loan to the broadcast body."

"The Prasar Bharati can auction the broadcast rights and generate a revenue stream from the broadcasting rights. Since it is being seen as a possible revenue stream and the income from it cannot be forecast, we have granted rest of the amount as an interest free loan." Chidambaram says.

Televisionpoint.com opines that the fiasco in Doordarshan's attempts to outsource coverage of the Commonwealth Youth Games is an early warning. If we are to avoid a repeat of the infuriatingly mindless telecast of the Beijing Olympics when Commonwealth Games are held in Delhi in 2010, the right lessons must be learnt from this episode.

Global best practices for tendering must be followed and the highest level of transparency ensured so that only professional sports broadcasters with the experience of handling mega events are short listed. Sports lovers deserve better than what DD has dished out to them thus far. Taxpayers too deserve more bang for their buck.