January 22 - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded broadcast rights for the Olympic Games in 2010 and 2012 to Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN) and Corporación de Televisión de la Pontificia Universidad Católica (Canal 13) in Chile, it was announced today.


TVN and Canal 13 will acquire free-to-air television and radio broadcast rights for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games and the London 2012 Olympic Games, including minimum free-to-air exposure guarantees, as well as the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August 2010 and the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 2012.
 
IOC President Jacques Rogge said: “We are delighted to announce our agreement with TVN and Canal 13 and we look forward to working in partnership with them to promote the Olympic values in Chile through their extensive coverage of the Olympic Games."
 
IOC Executive Board member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations, said: "We would like to thank TVN and Canal 13 for their continued commitment to the Olympic Movement and look forward to working directly with them to bring unprecedented levels of free coverage of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, as well as the Youth Olympic Games, to viewers in Chile."

TVN executive director Daniel Fernández said: “As the only public and market-leading broadcaster in the country, with this agreement we follow our goal of joining Chilean sportsmen and sportswomen when representing the country in major events, as TVN has done since its very first transmission in 1969.

“Canal 13 has been a long term supporter of the Olympic Games.

"Sport is a key genre for our viewers in our programming."

Jorge Herrera, the President of Canal 13's Board, said: "We believe that supporting the Chilean athletes through our partnership with ADO-Chile, Canal13 motivates new generations of Chilean athletes. Canal 13 considers broadcasting the Olympic Games once again, as part of its contribution and commitment to our country."