London 2012 Paralympics: Channel 4 growing into role of UK broadcaster

Magic moments: Channel 4 say they are increasing the UK coverage of the Paralympics by 400 per cent (Photo: GETTY IMAGES)

You may have noticed in the last few days that the World Athletics Championships is being screened by Channel 4, and not the BBC.

Every championships since the first event in Helsinki in 1983 had been covered by the BBC, but this year’s meet in Daegu has slipped from their grasp.

In Des Lynam’s recent column he said Channel 4 should be “delighted” they won the coverage, and rightly so.

But in my mind they pulled off an even bigger coup by landing the rights to the London 2012 Paralympics, in what the press release described as a “highly competitive tender process”.

Maybe it was 4’s ambitious plans for coverage that swung it. The channel has a contractual agreement in place to screen 150 hours of action during the Paralympics – more than ever before.

They may be going all out in terms of scheduling but Deborah Poulton, Channel 4’s Paralympics London 2012 director, admitted that her team had a challenge delivering a distinctive product to audiences suffering from an Olympics hangover.

“We plan to give these Games more coverage and exposure than they’ve ever had before,” said Poulton. “And I think not doing the Olympic Games gives us the luxury that we can throw everything at it.

“When you speak to Olympic broadcasters they are exhausted by the end of it and they limp to the Paralympic Games. It’s no surprise then that the Paralympics never gets the coverage that it deserves.

“We’re going to do a 400 per cent increase on what the BBC did from Beijing. That translates to all-day every-day coverage on Channel 4, as well as using live digital channels like More4, online streaming, video on demand and mobile platforms.”

Channel 4 has a special place in the heart of sport fans after their coverage of the 2005 Ashes, where the use of Hawk-Eye and the presence of Telegraph Sport’s very own Simon Hughes helped their product stand above the rest in the way it analysed and educated.

Poulton is confident that their Paralympics coverage will retain that level of expertise, even though they have many more hours to fill on the airwaves.

“Based on our cricket coverage I think we can be really proud about how we bring a fresh perspective to sport and provide a deep, multi-layered analysis of sport.

“We really want to apply this level of coverage to the Paralympics. I don’t think many viewers really know much about Paralympic sport. I’m not sure they appreciate the elite level of sport on show, much like the Olympics.

“We need to explain the intricacies of the classification systems and educate people about how the sports work. I think that’s something that will be very distinctive and bold about our coverage. ”

Earlier this week the new chief executive of the British Paralympics Association Tim Hollingsworth said “the time is now” for the British public to embrace their sports and athletes.

With just over a year to go, the UK broadcasters sound like they’re ready to play their part.