Mumbai, September 14, 2000 — Days and nights won’t be the same again…for diehard sports fans across the country. It’s a daily dose of adrenaline from a unique sports programme that delivers international sporting news with an Indian perspective.
On 25th September, STAR Sports will launch Sportsline, the first LIVE half-hour sports news programme that will provide millions of television viewers in the sub-continent a crisp and incisive update of latest happenings from international and regional sporting events.
Manu Sawhney, Managing Director of ESPN Software India said, ‘Sportsline is one of the biggest programming initiatives for the company. Sportsline will provide sports fans the most up-to-date news and best sporting action worldwide. It has the advantage of covering more events, giving immediate results and reports in minimum time and with expert analysis. The objective is to offer to the discerning sports viewer international sports news from an Indian perspective’.
Sportsline will initially be launched in English on STAR Sports and at a later date a Hindi version will be launched.
Sportsline will be featured 6 times a day. Sportsline Today, the morning bulletin, is scheduled for 7:00 am (LIVE on Monday), with repeats at 7:30 am and 10:00 am. Sportsline Tonight, the evening news bulletins, will be telecast LIVE at 7:30 pm, LIVE at 10:00 pm, then repeated 02:30 am with one more repeat thereafter.
‘Sportsline is a comprehensive half hour sports news programme. Our viewers will receive news, views, analysis and forecasts of top international sporting events every weekday. Producing a sports news programme is a major commitment from the content we deliver to the context we deliver it in. The best in the business are behind Sportsline and they are all fired-up to bring India the best and the first LIVE sports news programme’, added Mr. Sawhney.
Sportsline will be anchored by ESPN STAR Sports veteran presenter John Dykes. He will be joined by newcomer Misha Grewal. Misha is India’s former national squash champion who has translated her passion for sport into her life’s work.
In addition, Sportsline will also feature special guests Geoffrey Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar and Harsha Bhogle who will be reporting on-ground. They will provide analysis and forecasts of on-going international cricket matches.
While announcing the show, Sunil Gavaskar said, ‘Most sports lovers in India, including myself, have been looking forward to a high quality sports news programme. I am delighted to be part of the STAR Sports Sportsline team.’
Harsha Bhogle also added, ‘I will be on location in India and other international cricket venues to bring to Sportsline viewers the latest cricketing action on and off the fields.’
Sportsline will be produced from ESPN STAR Sports’ 46,000 sq ft production facility in Singapore. It will access sports news clippings from ESPN SportsCenter, SNTV (Sports News Television) – a leading provider of sports news clippings, and Sky Sports. Sportsline will also access cricket clippings from ESPN STAR Sports’ international cricket productions from seven test playing nations including Australia, South Africa, England, West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.
In addition to the international news, India-related news will be handled with resources placed in India, using Indian-hired facilities.
For every LIVE program broadcast of Sportsline, ESPN STAR Sports deploys a team of 23 top-class international top-class veteran news and sports producers, presenters, technical/production assistants, editors and reporting crew.
The team delivers a wealth of knowledge and experience from international and regional sports television scene including ESPN’s SportsCenter, TWI, BBC, ITV, New Delhi Television, Hong Kong’s TVB, Australia’s Channel 9 Network, TV South Africa and Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Whenever there is LIVE event coverage going on, STAR Sports will also report using its special guests including Harsha Bhogle and Sunil Gavaskar from the scene of the action.
Through the half-hour, Sportsline will contain various elements such as Headline International News, Cricket News, Football Wrap-up, India Diary, Sponsored Section, Cricket Rankings, India Results, Play of the Day, et al.
For further information, please contact:
Stephanie Green Chen, Manager Corporate Communications,
ESPN STAR Sports Tel: (65) 488 6134 or Email chens@espnstar.com