Mediacorp strikes last minute deal with Dentsu, airs Rio Olympics live

In a sudden turn of events, Mediacorp announced that it has struck an eleventh hour deal with Olympic Games rights holder Dentsu Inc to live broadcast the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.This follows a furor over announcements that Mediacorp would only provide a raft of dedicated programmes featuring daily highlights, delayed telecast of selected events and coverage of the Opening and Closing ceremonies.With the new deal, Mediacorp will now broadcast the Rio 2016 Olympic Games live, every day from 6 August to 22 August 2016 according to a press release.When asked what led to a change in heart, a Mediacorp spokesperson explained that hat even after the initial deal was sealed, the national broadcaster and Dentsu were still eager to conclude an agreement with live coverage rights. It revealed that both parties have been in close touch throughout the months before finally coming to a concluding deal. As such, audiences can now expect over 12 hours of live coverage daily.Meanwhile, Okto remains as its designated TV channel for sports content. The channel will also feature Today at the Olympic Games, a nightly show highlighting Singaporean athletes. In addition, four Toggle channels will broadcast the games live for free, as long as the user has a broadband connection. No set top box will be required.“As a commercial company with a social purpose, we needed to balance the cost of acquiring live broadcast rights and the expectations of our audiences,” Chang Long Jong, deputy CEO, Mediacorp said in a press statement.“The Olympic Games are close to the hearts of many, and audiences here can look forward to enjoying all the best moments, live, over the next two and a half weeks,” Chang said.