Cable Operators Say Price Too SteepIt's been a staple of Belizean TV since the '80s but there's a chance that this year you won't be able to watch the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games on regular cable or TV in Belize.
That's because unlike most of the foreign stuff you see on television the Olympics airs from a regional Caribbean feed. That's because big money is paid to the rights holder, a Caribbean company7 named International Media Content Limited - IMC for short.
For 2012 and 2016 it was Channel 7 who paid that money to become the rights holder, but this year, there is a new local rights holder, called Concorde Media group.
But, they're reportedly asking the Cable operators for 40 grand US to pay for this year's broadcast rights - and the Cable Operators are saying no can do - which means the Olympics will be blocked out on your Cable TV service.
A release from The Belize Cable TV Operators Association says it has directly engaged Sportmax, a subsidiary of IMC, to gain rights for the 2020 Olympics broadcast.
The release says quote, " the costs now quoted from SportsMax for cable rights have skyrocketed far beyond what the BCTVOA and its membership can reasonably afford within the current cost of cable packages for subscribersââ���..It is with much regret that our local cable operators are forced to announce that we will not be able to carry the Olympics broadcasts this year." End quote.
What does it mean to you? Well, NBC - which carries the Olympics will likely be blocked out on your cable and the regional fee which usually shows on Channel 7 and Channel 5 is also in serious jeopardy.
Channel 7