'SCTV', 'TPI' unveil Serie A live package
'SCTV', 'TPI' unveil Serie A live package
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
SCTV and TPI are set to go head to head against each other to
lure soccer viewers when they both commence their live broadcasts
of Italian soccer's Serie A, or A League, matches on Sept. 15.
The two private television channels separately announced their
Serie A packages, but failed to disclose their respective values
The Serie A competition, which involves 18 clubs, will last
for 34 weeks and consist of a total of 136 matches.
Both SCTV, which has committed itself to a three-year deal,
and TPI, which has a one-year deal, have each secured the rights
to screen 68 matches this season, which means there will be two
matches on each channel per week.
The matches will be screened every Sunday at 1.30 a.m. on
SCTV; and at 8.30 p.m. on both SCTV and TPI (2 different
matches), and on Mondays at 1.00 a.m on TPI (all Jakarta times).
SCTV will broadcast the opening match, between newly promoted
Modena and star-studded AC Milan, on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 1.30
a.m. Jakarta time.
Serie A matches used to be associated with RCTI, another local
channel, which had been airing them for 12 years before shifting
to the German Bundesliga.
And it appears that both SCTV and TPI will be archrivals in
attempting to woo viewers.
"This is a challenge for SCTV, how to get rid of the image of
the previous stations," production manager Ronny Kusuma told a
press conference in Bilbo Cafe here on Thursday.
Ronny, himself a former RCTI presenter, said that SCTV had
arranged a host of entertainment programs to offer the viewers.
Earlier, in the Front Row Cafe, Agus Syafrudin from TPI said
that they had also prepared various supporting programs to
cushion their Serie A matches.
"It will in the end be up to the viewers to decide which
presentation is the more attractive. But there's one thing for
sure, TPI will be going all out to entertain soccer fans," he
said.
Meanwhile, despite its 12-year association with the Serie A,
RCTI forwent the possibility of screening the matches this
season, saying that at US$3.2 million the price asked was too
much.
However, PT Platinum Media Distribusi, the local distributor
of Serie A rights, rejected this.