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First for Natwest Island Games as Live Pictures go Round
the World
July’s event in Shetland will mark a technological first
for the NatWest Island Games with live pictures available via the
Internet.
This has been made possible as a result of the involvement of the
Scottish Media Group which is to provide the host broadcasting service.
It means that coverage of the opening and closing ceremonies, as
well as some of the competitions, will be transmitted as they happen.
SMG is a major player in the media world in Scotland with interests
in both broadcasting and print. It will offer a free ‘pool’
feed to visiting television crews whilst a Media Centre is being
established within the Clickimin Leisure Complex, staffed by experts
in the field of IT and news provision. EventScotland and sportscotland
are working in partnership with the organising committee and Katriona
Bush of sportscotland is to manage the Media Centre.
The Venerable Brian Partington, vice-chairman of the International
Island Games Association, said: “This is a new concept for
the NatWest Island Games with the profile of the event being taken
to an even higher level.
“SMG Broadcast and Event Solutions will have around 38 staff
working on its Games coverage, enabling people from our 24 member
islands across the world to watch a sports meeting taking place
– in some cases – many thousands of miles away. It is
undoubtedly a major step forward for the Games itself and should
lead to some excellent publicity for our hosts in Shetland.”
With a population of 23,000 Shetland is the smallest to stage the
gathering, as well as being the first Scottish island to do so.
Orkney and the Western Isles will add to the representation from
Scotland. The latter are competing for the first time following
their acceptance, at Guernsey in 2003, as a member of the Games
community.
The Shetland NatWest Island Games begin on 9th July with the closing
ceremony six days later.
Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk |