2010 Olympic Winter Games Available Via APTN

Providing even more access for multi-language communities and cultures across the country, Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium today announced that Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) will provide live coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games with 10 hours of daily coverage in a mix of Aboriginal, French, and English languages.

APTN, an Official Broadcaster of Vancouver 2010, will also provide coverage of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in Aboriginal languages, with French and English subtitles. All Olympic Games coverage will be provided in high-definition on APTN HD.

APTN is one of 11 television networks within the consortium that will bring the Games to Canadians.

“APTN’s inclusive live coverage of the Olympic Games will provide coverage to Aboriginal Peoples in a variety of Aboriginal languages. This is a first and promises to be a new standard for Olympic Games coverage,” says APTN CEO Jean LaRose. “APTN continues to raise the bar in defining and expanding television for, by, and about Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, and we are thrilled to be the first Aboriginal network in the world to bring viewers live coverage of the Olympic Games.”

APTN will air 10 hours of daily coverage throughout the Games, with two hours in primetime in various Aboriginal languages and four hours each in French and English. Leading up to and during the Games, APTN’s news broadcasts will include Olympic highlights, footage, and interviews with athletes. Additional programming details will be announced in the coming months.

“We have great respect for Canada’s diverse and multicultural population. We are committed to providing unprecedented consumer choice of the Olympic Games in multiple languages and delivering on the wants and needs of our diverse audience,” says Keith Pelley, president, Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium. “APTN is a leader in the industry and provides a unique window on the languages, cultures, and heritage of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples of Canada.”

Available in approximately 10 million Canadian households, APTN will be involved in cultural activities in Vancouver leading up to the Olympic Games, as well as during the Games in partnership with the Four Host First Nations. The network will broadcast cultural events from various venues in Vancouver where Aboriginal artists and artisans will present the entire world with a glimpse into their rich history and traditions.