Category: Sport;
Â鶹Éçi
Date: 20.08.2004
Printable version
A record breaking six million
plus viewers have pressed the red button to use the Â鶹Éç's interactive
Olympic services.
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The figures, which have yet to be consolidated, show
that 6.13 million people have used the service for more than one minute
since the Opening Ceremony on Friday 13 August.
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The previous highest figure was during this year's Wimbledon
when 4.1 million people went interactive for one minute or more.
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During the Commonwealth Games in 2002, 3.4 million viewers
went interactive.
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By pressing the red button viewers can choose up to
four extra sports to watch during the Olympic Games.
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The figures show that 50 per cent of the available audience
have pressed red to interact.
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Eighty per cent (4.89m) of those who have pressed the
red button have used the service for more than three minutes.
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Fifty-eight per cent were still with the interactive
service after 15 minutes and 46 per cent stayed with the service for
more than 25 minutes.
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Â鶹Éç Sport's Andrew Thompson, Head of New Media, Sports
News and Development, said: "These are fantastic figures and naturally
we are delighted.
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"The Olympics are perfect for interactive television
because there are so many events happening at the same time.
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"Before we had the interactive
option, hundreds of hours of footage disappeared down a black hole.
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"But now with interactive television, viewers have
up to four extra sports to choose from and, judging by the initial figures,
they are taking full advantage of that.
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"These figures, which are
only from the digital satellite service, are a tribute to our commitment
to deliver the Olympics to viewers so they can enjoy the Games wherever
and however they want.
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"It's a service that really complements our terrestrial
coverage."
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Viewers with digital satellite or cable television have
four extra sports from which to choose and viewers with Freeview boxes
have two extra options.
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Â鶹Éç Sports Olympic terrestrial television coverage has
proved to be a huge hit with viewers with more than 10 million tuning
in for the Opening Ceremony.
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Nearly four and half million watched Team GB's synchronised
diving duo Leon Taylor and Peter Waterfield take silver in the 10 metre
event on Â鶹Éç TWO.
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Just under five million watched the 4x100 metre freestyle
relay on Â鶹Éç ONE and 4.8 million watched Team GB's Tony Ally and Mark
Shipman come fifth in the three metre springboard synchronised diving
event on Â鶹Éç TWO.
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Nearly five and half million tuned in for Tuesday's
gymnastics and 4.6 million saw the 4x200 metre freestyle final in the
pool on Â鶹Éç TWO.
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Yesterday 6.2 million, the highest figure yet for sport
at the Athens Games, watched gymnastics on Â鶹Éç TWO.
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Notes to Editors
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These results represent initial figures from the Opening
Ceremony to Wednesday 18 August and they are still to be consolidated.
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