Press release from Global Television
Global Television is proud to mark 15 years of facilitating V8 Supercars racing and its 15th Bathurst 1000 with a historic High Definition telecast.
This is the first time a V8 Supercars race will be broadcast in HD.
The 2011 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 is set to air live on Australia’s Seven Network and in prime time throughout North America on the SPEED network.
Global Television will supply its HD supertrucks, HD1 and HD2, to V8 Supercar Television, which produces the live pictures for the Seven Network domestically, BigPond’s online coverage and more than 130 countries around the world.
Global will also launch its brand new HD4 supertruck to facilitate big screen coverage to on-track spectators as well as to complement the main broadcast.
A separate HD truck will facilitate SPEED’s coverage; in a first for that network, SPEED is bringing its own commentary and production teams to Australia to cover the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000. Global will also facilitate SPEED’s broadcast of the Armor All Gold Coast 600.
V8 Supercars Chairman Tony Cochrane said: "It's fantastic news that for the first time our fans will be able to watch the world famous Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 in full high definition, and live.
"The Global team, along with Seven and V8 Supercar Television, are constantly providing the country and the world with incredible pictures and plenty of Logie awards to prove it.
“This year's Bathurst promises to be the most spectacular in history and those not at the Mountain will be able to see it in all of its glory on Seven and on Seven Mate in full high definition. The pictures will be absolutely amazing."
Seven’s Head of Sport, Saul Shtein, said: “This is one of the great sports events. Seven’s first coverage of The Great Race in 1963 utilised the grand total of three cameras, all in Pit Straight.
“We’ve come a long way since then and in many ways – through the first live helicopter camera coverage, racecam and the myriad of new innovations.
“The Great Race has represented huge steps forward in broadcast technology. We could not be more delighted to be involved in this next great step: the biggest high definition television coverage of any event ever undertaken in Australia. We are going to have a great time with The Great Race.”
Global Television CEO Keith Andrews said: “The Global Television team is proud and extremely excited to celebrate 15 years of facilitating the Bathurst 1000 with V8 Supercars’ first-ever High Definition race telecast.
“It is a privilege to work with V8 Supercar Television, Seven Network and SPEED on this historic event and to bring Australian and international audiences thrilling V8s racing in HD for the first time.”
Four months of intensive internal planning, and extensive collaboration with V8 Supercar Television, will culminate with that famous race from Mt Panorama on 7 – 9 October.
Global Television will coordinate the overall technical requirements of the race broadcasts and work alongside a team of 300-plus technical and creative crew.
More than 77 cameras will capture three days of racing action:
· 33 HD track-side cameras, including flycam and aerial views from a helicopter camera
· Six cameras supporting domestic and international hosting and commentary
· Six wireless radio frequency cameras for pit lane coverage
· Four crews with portable cameras capturing behind-the-scenes footage
· More than 28 in-car cameras
More than 40 kilometres of camera cable and in excess of 100 microphones will be used.
Global Television first facilitated Australian Touring Car races in 1996 and has provided broadcast technical services to V8 Supercars since 1997.