SEA Games has own broadcast problems

It’s not only the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) that’s having problems with its television coverage.

This early, the TV coverage of the 22nd Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam next month hit a snag because of the high cost of broadcast rights pegged by organizers of the biennial event.

No figures were available although the high cost of broadcast rights for the Games set Dec. 5 to 13 has reportedly forced National Broadcasting Network Channel 4 and other local networks to stay out of the bidding.

Pouncing on the opportunity was Jemah Television, a local firm that provides and distributes foreign movies and TV shows to local networks. Jemah TV is managed by Marc Roces and Freddie Infante.

Jemah Television, sources said, could have shelled out at least P30 million to nail the broadcast rights to the SEA Games. It’s the first time that a private firm has taken over the coverage of a major international sports event.

In the past, Filipino sports fans were given a blow-by-blow account of the country’s participation overseas — first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.

The Games, however, will still be aired over NBN-4 (Jemah TV being a block-timer) but definitely won’t be as comprehensive as past coverage of events like the SEA Games, Asian Games or even the Olympics.

NBN-4, a veteran of major sports coverage’s reportedly stayed out of the SEA Games picture because of present problems regarding the PBA coverage after its broadcast partner, International Broadcasting Corp. Channel 13, stopped airing PBA games.

IBC-13 severed its ties with NBN-4 and the PBA as well due to the non-remittance of its airtime dues by Summit Sports World, Inc., the marketing, finance arm of the consortium.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit did not comment on the extent of coverage to be done by Jemah TV for the SEA Games. But definitely, it would be better than none.