Beeb wins radio Paralympic rights

The 2012 Paralympics in London will be broadcast on Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra after the BBC successfully won the radio rights to broadcast the Games.

The Corporation, who lost out on the television rights to Channel 4, were awarded the radio counterpart by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

Radio 5 Live coverage will include around 25 hours of programmes and news from the Games featuring key moments and stories, while sister station Radio 5 Live Sports Extra will carry live commentary and analysis from the Paralympic events, with dedicated teams present at the Olympic Park in London.

Adrian Van Klaveren, Controller of Radio 5 Live, said: “There’s unprecedented interest in the Paralympics taking place on home soil and we’re delighted to be providing the radio coverage. We’re committed to bringing our listeners all of the sporting stories, capturing the human drama and raising awareness of Paralympic sport.”

Jane Jones, Director of Communications at ParalympicsGB said: “We’re delighted that BBC Radio 5 Live has been awarded the radio rights for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. We know they’ll do a fantastic job of covering the Games and the British team’s exploits. We’re looking forward to working closely with them in the run-up to the most important Games in our history”

Lord Coe, Chairman of LOCOG, said: “The BBC has been a great champion of the Paralympic movement, and many of our iconic sporting memories are from the BBC’s radio coverage of the world’s biggest sporting events. Radio 5 Live is a brilliant sports broadcaster and a perfect radio partner.”