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Pyeongchang Winter Olympics 2018
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Athletes in action during a training session at the speed skating venue in Gangneung, South Korea. Hong Kong viewers will get the opportunity to watch the Winter Games on TV. Photo: EPA
SportHong Kong

Relief all round as TVB confirms Hongkongers will get to watch the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang

The local broadcaster signs a deal with the Olympics governing body with a week to go until the opening ceremony

Pyeongchang Winter Olympics 2018
Chan Kin-wa
Chan Kin-wa
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Hong Kong’s Olympics fans can breathe a sigh of relief after it was confirmed that they will have the opportunity to watch the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games after an eleventh hour agreement was struck between local broadcaster TVB and the IOC.
A channel source with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed just a week before the Games begin that the city’s biggest terrestrial television station will become the Games’ official broadcaster in Hong Kong, showing over 1,000 hours of coverage, including the performances of lone medal hope Arabella Ng in her two Alpine events, giant slalom and slalom.
“We have reached an agreement with the IOC and will put down the pens soon for an official announcement early next week,” the source said. “We are still working out details of how the Games will be broadcast in Hong Kong, but for sure fans will be able to watch Ng.”
The Olympic rings stand on the beach next to art installations before sunrise before the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea. Photo: AP

The source said fans will be able to watch all the coverage through the channel’s myTV SUPER package, an “over the top” service which can also be viewed on mobile devices and online by subscribers.

He also said scheduling in the shared time zone meant it would be difficult to broadcast the Games via TVB’s free terrestrial channel during peak hours.

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“[Broadcasting on] the Jade Channel will be difficult because it’s not easy to change [scheduled] programmes for the Games,” he said. “We will probably have highlights of the day and cover important events live through other channels.”
TVB have reached an agreement to show the 2018 Winter Olympics. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

The head of the Hong Kong delegation to Pyeongchang, Tony Yue Kwok-leung, welcomed the news that the city will have coverage of the Games.

“Winter sports are very exciting and have many followers in Hong Kong. It will be a good opportunity for them to watch these exciting performance through the Pyeongchang Games,” he said.

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Hong Kong is sending a team to the Winter Olympics for the fifth consecutive edition since the Salt Lake City Games in 2002. But it will be the first time the SAR is represented in Alpine skiing through 16-year-old Ng. All previous Winter Olympians were short track speed skaters.

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