News Headline
BBC to show World Cup, Wimbledon in high definition
MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC has announced that it will broadcast its 2006 World Cup coverage and major Wimbledon matches in high definition (HD) as part of its pioneering trial.
The BBC HD trial will kick off with the BBC’s share of World Cup matches up to and including the 9 July 2006 final. World Cup 2006 will be the first major sporting event to be broadcast in HD in the UK. The BBC’s summer of HD sport will continue with Wimbledon matches from Centre Court and Court One.
The BBC explains that HD is a new kind of television which delivers more detailed pictures and sharper shots of fast-moving action than conventional ‘standard definition’. The HD format will be an extra stream alongside conventional analogue and digital broadcasts.
It will only be accessible to viewers who have all of the following: HD Ready televisions, HD set top boxes and HD services from satellite or cable providers. News about the World Cup and Wimbledon in HD follows finalisation of the technical and partnership arrangements for the trial.
The BBC’s HD trial will last for about 12 months. It will enable the BBC to test technical delivery of HD and to understand how the audience values a BBC HD service. Any ongoing BBC HD service will be subject to approval by the BBC Trust.
BBC director of sport Roger Mosey said, “High definition works particularly well for sport. It gives fantastic picture quality, from the blades of grass that are being played on right to the back of the stands, and although only limited numbers of people will be able to see this trial we hope it will be a glimpse of the future.”
BBC HD TV head Seetha Kumar said, “We believe that in the long term the BBC can help provide the benefits of HD to everyone, free to air, in the same way that we backed colour, stereo, widescreen and online in the past. With this trial, the BBC is taking the first crucial steps to support the development of HD broadcasting in the UK.”
BBC HD will start broadcasting on 15 May with a test stream previewing forthcoming programmes. The first live HD programme will be the opening World Cup match Germany Vs Costa Rica on 9 June.
BBC commentary and studio coverage in HD will wrap up the HD feed from German host broadcasters HBS (Host Broadcaster Services). Standard definition digital and analogue BBC One coverage will also draw on high definition images, both for the World Cup and for Wimbledon where the BBC is the host broadcaster.
The BBC HD trial will run for about a year. It will feature BBC shows such as natural history series Planet Earth and Galapagos, drama documentary Hannibal and some BBC Proms concerts including the First and Last Nights, in HD quality.
The amount of new programming each day will vary, averaging between one and two hours. Some programmes will be simulcast with BBC One or, in a few instances, BBC Two.
Others will be time-shifted or offer another chance to view past highlights such as dramas Bleak House and Hotel Babylon in high definition for the first time.
The BBC will provide its HD trial stream on all technically capable platforms, including satellite and cable, once available, from commercial providers. It is not currently possible to provide HD transmissions on Freeview because of limited space on the airwaves. The BBC will run a simultaneous technical trial of HD on digital terrestrial television (Freeview). That trial will be confined to few hundred trial households in London, which will be chosen shortly.
Freeview could accommodate some high definition broadcasting after switchover between 2008 and 2012. Ofcom’s Digital Dividend Review later this year is deciding how that spectrum should be used.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
