[SatBroadcasting(tm)] SIS LIVE, Europe’s largest outside broadcast (OB) and satellite uplink company, has more than 1,600 staff in India prepare all the venues for television coverage of the Commonwealth Games.

SIS LIVE won the multi-million pound contract from India’s public broadcaster, Doordarshan, part of Prasar Bharati, the Broadcasting Corporation of India. SIS LIVE will provide HD television coverage of the Games, the first time the event will be entirely broadcast in HD. All television companies will take live feeds provided by SIS LIVE during the Games. SIS LIVE has amassed a formidable technical team to work on the Games, who are experienced in broadcasting all the CWG sports, such as gymnastics, tennis, swimming and athletics, with the aim of providing a truly high-quality television service for the Games. Working with ZOOM Communications, South-East Asia’s largest broadcast services company, SIS LIVE will provide coverage of 17 sports events and outside races across 12 competition venues, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. This involves over 37 production areas including studios and OB kits of various sizes over 350 HD camera channels as well as other specialist production and camera equipment.

Alan Bright, the project director for SIS LIVE in Delhi, said, “The problems of late completion of the venues have certainly caused us issues: instead of several months to complete the installation of cameras and wiring, in some instances we have only had two weeks. Like the Games organisers and other agencies, we have been working incredibly hard to make sure everything is ready. In many cases, we have been working in very challenging conditions. All venues were completed very late and the monsoon rains caused roads and broadcast compounds to flood. Despite the difficulties of working in extreme heat and in torrential rain, and in some cases in darkness with torches strapped to our hard hats, we have made good progress and anticipate that barring any unforeseen issues arising, we will have all the venues broadcast-ready for the Games.”