Following the first World Broadcasters Meeting ahead of the event - held in Munich from April 11 to 15, 2005 - an increasing number of broadcast partners look set put their efforts and resources behind high definition television (or HDTV).
More than 400 delegates, representing more than 100 radio and television companies, attended the briefing organised by Host Broadcast Services (HBS), the dedicated host broadcast company for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
HBS is wholly owned by Infront Sports & Media, which is responsible for the distribution of broadcast rights worldwide.
A growing number of broadcasters over and above the three major markets that are already committed to HDTV (Japan, Korea and the United States) apparently expressed strong interest in going HD in 2006.
Francis Tellier, the CEO of HBS, said: “We got the very strong feeling that we were riding the crest of a breaking wave. I believe that many of Europe’s leading broadcasters will opt for HDTV and there is also strong interest from Latin America. Mexico could well take the lead.”
Although the 2006 event will be produced exclusively in HDTV - a first in international sport – the regular signal being made available to broadcasters will be in standard definition, with HDTV an option that broadcasters can choose.
