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Casbaa discusses challenges for sports broadcast industry
MUMBAI: The inaugural Casbaa/CITVC China International Sports Television Forum in Beijing on 25 August produced new insights on the long-term implications of the 2008 Beijing Olympics for the sports TV industry.
Rights protection was at the top of the agenda, according to participants in the Forum which attracted 400 delegates and speakers, as well as more than 100 media from across China and around the world.
“This forum in Beijing comes at the right time for the sports TV industry in China,” said Casbaa chairman Marcel Fenez. “China’s economic growth and modernisation is one of the defining features of the new millennium and Beijing in particular, is making huge strides ahead of hosting the Olympics. The challenge for the sports broadcast industry is to harness this appeal. Then sport does more than just unlock TV rights, it also unlocks the bigger prizes of advertising, merchandising and corporate sponsorship.”
Referring to sports rights protection, NBC Sports VP Alex Gilady, who is also an IOC member, said “However, there will be no streaming of Olympics on the internet because rights are territorial. If we do not protect rights, we will lose them.”
Past viewing figures point to a strong underlying interest in the Olympics in China. In the Athens Olympics 100 million viewers in China watched the women’s basketball finals with the China team participating and a total of 400 million viewers, the replays.
CCTV-5 (CCTV’s sports channel) chief executive officer Jiang He Ping said he expected China to surpass the Sydney Olympic’s record where 75 per cent of the population watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
The one-day Casbaa/CITVC Sports Television Forum was co-organised by Casbaa and China International Television Corp (CITVC), co-hosted by the State Administration of Radio Film & Television (SARFT) and China Media Group, supported by CCTV, the Beijing Olympic Committee Organising Group (BOCOG) and sponsored by sina.com.
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.
