Olympics Satellite Capacity Demand Reaches Record Level for SES

Will Claye of the United States competes in the Men’s Triple Jump Final on Day 11 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 16, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo: Getty Images

[Via Satellite 08-19-2016] Customers broadcasting the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games have collectively booked 23,000 hours of capacity on four SES satellites — NSS 806, SES 4, NSS 7 and SES 3 — marking the highest level of uptake for SES satellite capacity for the Olympics as compared to previous games. A total of 10 broadcasters, based in the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, Brazil, and Japan, including Eurovision, CNN/Turner and Nippon Television Network, have used SES capacity to reach audiences in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.

“For the first time ever, we are using more capacity on more satellites to broadcast more hours of sporting events and news coverage of the games to a truly global audience,” said Richard Lamb, general manager of occasional use services at SES. “This record demand illustrates how broadcasters continue to view satellite as an ideal and cost-effective way to broadcast excellent image quality of sporting events live to millions of viewers around the world.”