As part of the agreements, which also includes the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the ABU has acquired terrestrial over-the-air television and radio broadcast rights within the region, and ESS has acquired non-standard television rights including cable and satellite television platforms, the first that the IOC has awarded the rights to a pay TV platform across the region.

 

In addition, both organisations will have certain simultaneous unaltered retransmission rights on other media platforms.

 

The members of the ABU have committed to a total of 200 hours minimum exposure for the London 2012 Olympic Games and to a daily 52-minute highlights programme in prime time for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games on terrestrial, over-the-air television.

 

ESS has committed to deliver comprehensive coverage across cable and satellite television platforms of over 200 hours of coverage for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and over 60 hours of coverage for the 2010 Winter Games.

 

In addition, ESS will also be broadcasting Olympic Games programming showcasing golden moments from the history of the Olympic Games.

 

The IOC said that they selected the ABU and ESS on their capacity to reach the broadest possible audience on a range of broadcast platforms and their commitment to promoting the Olympic Games and the values of the Olympic Movement.

 

Richard Carrión, a member of the IOC's ruling Executive Board, said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with the ABU and to welcome ESPN STAR Sports to the Olympic Movement.

 

"Their support will enable us to provide high quality coverage of the Vancouver and London Games to Olympic fans and help to promote Olympic sports across the region.”

 

Manu Sawhney, the managing director of ESS, said, “We are extremely pleased to partner with the International Olympic Committee.

 

"We are committed to promoting the spirit of the Olympic Games and we are delighted that our viewers can now be part of the excitement as they watch, share and celebrate the 2010 Winter Games, 2012 Summer Games and additional Olympic Games programming on our platforms.”

 

ESS also holds the telecast rights of all major cricket events to be held by the International Cricket Council over next seven years and the deal with the IOC for comes after they acquired exclusive television rights to broadcast the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2009 Confederations Cup for the Indian Sub-continent.

 

John Barton, the director of sport at the ABU, said: “The ABU continues to provide free-to-air coverage to an enormous population base throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

 

"We see our role, in partnership with the IOC, as being to promote the intrinsic values of the Olympic Games, the spirit of Olympism, and to support, through our reach to the biggest television audience in the world, the hopes and dreams of new Olympians.”

 

The countries covered by the agreement are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Bhutan, Cambodia, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

 

The broadcast rights for Hong Kong and Japan have already been awarded.