BBC to show World Cup and Wimbledon in HDTV

by Staff, Brand Republic 23-Mar-06, 11:00

LONDON - The BBC will broadcast its 2006 World Cup coverage and major Wimbledon matches in the high-definition television format this summer as part of a trial.

The BBC HDTV trial will kick off with the BBC's share of World Cup matches up to and including the July 9 final. World Cup 2006 will be the first major sporting event to be broadcast in HDTV in the UK.

The HDTV broadcasts, which will be an extra stream alongside conventional analogue and digital broadcasts, promise more detailed and sharper pictures than standard TV.

However, the only people who will be able to see the HDTV are those with HDTV-ready televisions, HDTV set-top boxes and HDTV services from satellite or cable companies.

Roger Mosey, director of sport at the BBC, said: "High definition works particularly well for sport. It gives fantastic picture quality, from the blades of grass that are being played on right to the back of the stands, and although only limited numbers of people will be able to see this trial we hope it will be a glimpse of the future."

The BBC's HDTV trial will last for about 12 months, beginning on May 15, and the corporation said it would allow the BBC to test technical delivery of HDTV and to understand how the audience values a BBC HDTV service.

The first live HDTV programme will be the opening World Cup match, Germany vs Costa Rica on Friday June 9.

Programmes to be featured in the trial will include natural history series 'Planet Earth' and 'Galapagos', drama documentary 'Hannibal' and some Proms concerts including the First and Last Nights.

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