Cignal TV partners with POC on coverage of Paris Olympics

(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
7:30 a.m.-JRU vs Letran (men)
10 a.m.-JRU vs Letran (women)
2 p.m.-AU vs San Beda (women)
5 p.m.-AU vs San Beda (men)

CIGNAL TV has officially come in as partner of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) in the country’s centennial participation in the coming Paris Olympiad.

Cignal TV, according to MediaQuest and Cignal TV President and Chief Executive Officer Jane Basas, is preparing the most comprehensive coverage of the July 26 to Aug. 11 Games.

This includes campaigns leading to the June 21 grand sendoff and the Filipino Olympians’ one-month training camp in the northeast French city of Metz prior to competition proper.

“We will bring every memorable moment to the Filipino fans, from the time our athletes leave to their (pre-Games) training all the way until they come back hopefully bringing medals for the country,” Ms. Basas said in yesterday’s press launch with POC President Bambol Tolentino, POC Secretary General Wharton Chan, and Cignal TV first vice president and head for channels and content management Sienna Olaso.

“To do this, we commit all available resources across the MediaQuest group from our pay-TV platforms to our free-to-air platforms to our digital platforms and we are working closely as well with PLDT and Smart to make sure that we scale the distribution and reach and content across the country,” Ms. Basas added.

Mr. Tolentino expressed gratitude to Cignal TV for joining this Olympic journey.

“We are very excited with his partnership between the POC and Cignal,” said Mr. Tolentino.

Ms. Olaso said Cignal will promote the Philippines’ Olympic drive in all platforms for the next 99 days before the opening and produce a 13-part miniseries with reporters embedded to chronicle their journey.

The network, meanwhile, is finalizing a deal for broadcast rights of the Olympiad.

“We’re in the tailend of our discussion with the official rights holder for the Olympic Games. We don’t have a final agreement yet but we’re trying our best with the support of our chairman Manny V. Pangilinan and the POC to secure the rights,” said Ms. Basas.

“Our objective is put as many games, particularly the games where Filipinos are competing in all available platforms — free-to-air, we have our dedicated sports channel RPTV, One Sports sa digital free to air and of course Cignal. We are looking as many as 18 channels bringing the most comprehensive coverage of the Games. But our priority is the Filipino athletes.” — Olmin Leyba