Glasgow 2014 is on course to become the most watched Commonwealth Games ever with the announcement that the BBC and Glasgow 2014 will allow other news organisations access to BBC Games footage within the United Kingdom.
Non Rights-holders will be allowed to show short extracts of sporting action via websites, mobile websites and mobile apps during the Games which begin next month.
This is an enhancement to Glasgow 2014’s News Access Rules that currently apply for the Games and is the first time newspapers and other news organisations have been able to use clips online of a major sporting event in the UK in this way.
The BBC – which holds the exclusive rights to TV coverage of Glasgow 2014 within the UK –andGlasgow 2014 is allowing this sharing of footage to enable widespread online coverage of the Commonwealth Games and ultimately reach as wide an audience as possible.
Full rules are available from Glasgow 2014 for news organisations wishing to take advantage of this relaxation of the rights, but access will include:
- Permission to record Games footage or access Games footage from authorised sources
- The use of up to 90 seconds of Games footage per day
- The use of six short extracts per day
The move comes just weeks after Glasgow 2014 announced the provision of free Wi-Fi accounts for journalists and photographers deemed to be in most financial need, to enable more widespread coverage of the flagship event across the world.
David Grevemberg, Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive, said:
“Our vision is to stage an outstanding athlete centred, sport focused Games that will be celebrated across the Commonwealth and generate enormous coverage throughout the world.
“We welcome the BBC’s innovation in this regard, ensuring that the widest possible audience has the opportunity to experience the magic of the Games and celebrate the achievements of great Commonwealth athletes.”
Bruce Malcolm, BBC’s Head of Commonwealth Games, said:
“It’s fantastic that we are able to share these clips with online news providers including newspapers so as many people as possible can view Commonwealth Games footage and the industry as a whole will benefit.
“This is another example of our commitment to the Commonwealth Games demonstrated by our wide-ranging package of on-air and off-air output and events throughout 2014.”