More speed on the road to 2012
The people planning London 2012 haven't exactly been slacking in the past, but the next few days give an idea of how life is changing for everyone involved.
From long-term deadlines and (literally) careful groundwork, there's now a relentless pace in the activity.
It will, of course, only intensify; and it will be everywhere you look - from buildings and events to broadcasting. Here's a sample of what to look out for in the immediate future.
The main news story will remain centred on the tenancy of the Olympic Stadium where, thanks to Adrian Warner and ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ London, we believe West Ham are in pole position.
The board taking the decision meets on Friday so expect more coverage then across all our News and Sports News output.
The questions remain and will be debated vigorously on our airwaves and online: if this is a victory for the promises made in Singapore when London won the Games, at what cost is it to the taxpayers in Newham and beyond? And will West Ham really be able to make a football and athletics stadium work?
We're on less controversial territory this Saturday when we broadcast British Olympic Dreams at 1pm on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One - the series following Team GB hopefuls as they step up another gear in the preparations for 2012.
The star names in this episode include Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle and Jessica Ennis; and more shows have been commissioned with first-runs on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News Channel in March, May, July, September, October and December.
Meanwhile, our output is steaming ahead too.
Matthew Pinsent went to Baghdad to meet Iraq's Olympic rowers. Photo: ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ
You may have caught Matt Pinsent taking Namibia's Merlin Diamond for her first sight of the Olympic Stadium where she's hoping to run 17 months from now; and on Monday on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two at 1pm there's a documentary about to meet Iraq's rowers.
It will also play on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News Channel in the UK and on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World News globally. The film's worth watching not just for the rowers' story - which is a powerful one - but for Matt's preparations for an assignment he probably never expected when he started working for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.
Then Tuesday, 15 February, is a big day on which we get the detailed competition schedule for London 2012.
We'll learn for the first time what's on when: the sessions where you can see the 100 metres final in the Stratford stadium or the start of the sailing in Weymouth or the first kick of the football in the host stadiums around the UK.
There will be a media blitz: expect to see details in your daily papers as well as on every website worth its digital salt.
The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News Channel will be live in Olympic Park throughout the day to cover the story, so you should be able to see the state of construction in the main Stadium and the Aquatics centre; and all our TV, radio and online outlets will be pulling together the main points from the 17-day sporting timetable being offered.
This is, of course, essential information for - with 15 March ringed in red on the calendar as the day you can start putting in your orders.
Between now and then, expect more news on the completion of buildings. The word is at least one major venue is ready for its formal handover before the end of February, and others will follow rapidly afterwards.
So a seat at the stadium of your choice is there and waiting, or you'll also be able to follow every moment of the build-up and the action with us on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.
And that includes the Paralympics too since we heard this week that the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ will be the official radio broadcaster for the Paralympic Games in 2012, with 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra and our audio online service offering extensive coverage.
I'm Roger Mosey, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's director of London 2012. That means I'm overseeing all the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's 2012 preparations including not just sport but the Cultural Olympiad, our Olympic news and information services and everything that will bring the story of the London Games to audiences at home and abroad. I want to share here what we're planning - and debate some of the big issues. You can also follow me on .
Comment number 1.
At 10th Feb 2011, MarktheHorn wrote:Good luck to the Beeb for their coverage of what people will see as "minority" sports but will you guys carry on covering such events or just put them on the backburner for another 4 years?
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Comment number 2.
At 11th Feb 2011, Roger Mosey - ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Director, London 2012 wrote:Fair question. Continuing coverage across all the British media should certainly be part of the London 2012 legacy.
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Comment number 3.
At 17th Feb 2011, maxmerit wrote:That means the Backburner Im afraid.
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Comment number 4.
At 23rd Feb 2011, Brekkie wrote:I thought we'd see an improvement in coverage in the years leading to London too - and although we probably have, especially with cycling, swimming and rowing on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, unfortunately so much Olympic sport if it's not on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ it's only shot is really Eurosport - and I fear that in many respects London 2012 may be the end rather than the beginning of any wider coverage.
Unfortunately though until the Competition Commissions rules that football has an unfair monopoly on UK sport and it's banned completely other sports will always be fighting to be heard.
BTW, do we know when the Paralympic schedule will be released?
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Comment number 5.
At 24th Feb 2011, Roger Mosey - ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Director, London 2012 wrote:Brekkie - as ever you make good points (with the possible exception of banning football...) But just putting Olympic sports on TV isn't enough: audiences need to want to come to them, and the sports themselves need to think about how they're shown to best effect. I was at the track cycling in Manchester on Friday, and it was a great event, but it takes more than TV alone to work out how we bring more people to these moments. The next 18 months are crucial to long-term success.
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