Sina, Netease, Tencent authorized to make live webcast of Olympic Games

BEIJING, Jul 16, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- SINA | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Three portal websites, Sina.com (SINA. NASDAQ), Netease.com (NTES.NASDAQ) and Tencent (0700.HK), have been authorized by China Central Television (CCTV) to make Internet-based live broadcast of the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games and provide video-on-demand service concerning Olympic Games televised by CCTV. com, the only official website of CCTV.

They are entitled to use the video content concerning the game relayed by CCTV.com in the real time, and the content is not less than that CCTV.com will give to any other websites and new media. The three leading portal websites pay for content respectively but promise to share resources.

According to China Business News, they also expand their Olympic reporting alliance established in July 2007 by enrolling all websites and more than 100 traditional media organizations nationwide to share content resource.

The move is regarded as a challenge made by the three portal websites to Sohu.com (SOHU.NASDAQ), the Internet sponsor of the Games.

CCTV plans to authorize the broadcasting right to nine Internet operators, providing video materials at a total length of 3,800 hours, covering the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony, as well as important games.

Although the fee for the authorization is confidential, market information goes that it may cost 20 million to 30 million yuan for each online operator.

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