Media Release:
Friday, 27 July 2001
Sky Selects New Television Outside Broadcast Service Provider
SKY Television confirmed today that On Site Broadcasting (NZ) Ltd have won the contract to provide television outside
broadcast coverage of all SKY’s major sporting events for the next five years commencing January 2002.
Murray Roberts, co-founder of the well known film and television production company, Communicado, will become the New
Zealand Director of On Site Broadcasting (NZ) Ltd, (OSB) a wholly owned subsidiary of Australia’s Becker Group Ltd.
OSB, will engage a formidable team of outside broadcasting specialists led by Geoff Evans of Images Post Ltd, including
a significant number of full time and contract staff here in New Zealand. OSB has commissioned four new digital outside
broadcast vehicles, scheduled for delivery from December 2001, to service the contract.
John Fellet, SKY Television Chief Executive, said “Choosing the outside broadcast service provider was a difficult
decision however we are confident that Murray Roberts and his team’s experience combined with the “state of the art”
digital technology that will be used will allow SKY to produce an exceptionally high standard of sports programming.”
Tim Keen, Becker Group Chief Operating Officer said “We are delighted with this development and see it as an extension
of our existing activities in New Zealand.”
“Our extensive experience of production and broadcast of live sport telecasts for the Australian market and our
willingness to commit to the latest digital technology were significant factors in helping OSB win this contract” said
Keen.
Becker Group, one of Australia’s best known film and television companies is a publicly listed entertainment company,
currently trading on the ASX, with a turnover of around AUS$50 million per year.
ENDS