Paralympic Media Awards 2009
Broadcast
ABC Television is Australia’s only national, commercial-free public television broadcaster. ABC Television produced more than 120 hours of Paralympic Games coverage from Beijing. 100 hours of this was live. This was the biggest coverage by an Australian broadcaster in the history of the Paralympic Games.
The ABC delivered comprehensive coverage of the Games on 6 separate delivery platforms, ABC1, ABC2 and ABC HD as well on ABC online, ABC radio and the ABC’s online television service I-view. An ABC crew of 40 drawn from all over Australia was sent to Beijing.
The live coverage of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies was hosted by one of Australia’s most popular media personalities, Adam Hills, from inside the Birds Nest Stadium. Two live shows were produced daily. Each of these was of 4-6 hours duration. Two additional 60 minute highlight shows were produced by ABC staff in Australia each day and shown in the early evening and late evening slots.
Overall, the ABC television coverage of the Games was watched by an estimated average of 8.8 percent of the Australian population every day of the Games, with a peak of 10.8 percent on the final day.
Written (Online)
The Sunday Telegraph has been committed to the coverage of the Paralympic Games and sport for persons with a disability for many years.
During the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, the Sunday Telegraph published news reports on the Paralympic Games, like interviews with British and international athletes, on a regular basis online and in the newspaper to spread the spirit and dynamism of Paralympic Sport.
Radio
BBC Radio sent a small reporting team to cover the Games providing material for sports and mainstream programming into the National News and Sport Network called 5 Live .
The BBC has been committed to the coverage of the Paralympic Games and sport for persons with a disability for over a decade
Photo
Damir Sencar covered the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games working for the Croatian News Agency HINA.
His winning photo shows Thailand athlete Jakkrit Punthong as he enters the sand during the Men's T11 Long Jump final competition at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
The IPC is proud to honour Mr. Sencar for his success in visualizing the spirit of the Paralympic Games.
