CCTV, China's state broadcaster, is understood to have paid around $9 million for the 2008 coverage in the course of which it has generated around $400 million in advertising revenues. The opening ceremony alone attracted a Chinese audience of 842 million.

Timo Lumme, marketing director for the International Olympic Committee, said China's broadcasting costs for these Olympics was tied up in a rights deal signed with the Asian Broadcasting Union in the late 1990s to cover the games from 2000 to 2008. The deal was signed before China was awarded the 2008 games and at a time of limited interest among Chinese people in the Olympics, although by then the IOC knew that China would be bidding for the games

Other posts by Nick Snow:

1. Ride to thrive
2. Here isn’t the news
3. Paramount end game?
4. 2024, less will be more
5. AVoD: A Very Onerous Deal?
6. Dominion sees end of KRM reign
7. Charter: The streamer showdown
8. And, so, it is written
9. BT: Tough gig

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