International Paralympic Committee chief executive Xavier Gonzalez has called on organisers of Rio de Janeiro’s 2016 Paralympic Games to build on the broadcast success of London 2012 and tap into major media territories that “largely ignored” the 2012 Games.
“The biggest growth area for Rio 2016 and the IPC to work on is in television,” Gonzalez, speaking at the London 2012 Paralympic Games debrief in Rio. “London 2012 was broadcast to more than 115 countries and territories, more than any other Games, and enjoyed record audiences. However, some of the biggest media territories largely ignored the Games. The only way we can fulfil our vision of our athletes inspiring and exciting the world is by ensuring the world’s biggest media outlets cover the Games.”
Gonzalez highlighted the United States as an example territory where Rio 2016 could get better television exposure than London 2012. US rights-holder NBC showed live coverage of London 2012 only online, with television coverage limited to highlights.
“Imagine the growth if we get all countries around the world, especially those that can offer us the biggest audiences, to screen the Games from Rio,” Gonzalez said. “This figure could easily double if, for example, an American TV station showed the performances of the US athletes who finished sixth in the London medals table.”
The IPC said that, for London 2012, there was 37 per cent growth in the cumulative international audience watching the Games outside of the host country. The cumulative international audience was 3.4 billion, compared to 2.48 billion for the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.