The Int'l Paralympic Committee announced that the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Winter Games are set to break all viewing records, exceeding the cumulative global audience of 1.6 billion that tuned into watch the 2010 Vancouver Games. The IPC has confirmed that TV pictures will be broadcast to more than 55 countries and territories, more than ever before and that broadcasters are also showing more hours of coverage than previous editions. The IPC has announced a number of innovative broadcast agreements covering both the 2014 Sochi and 2016 Rio Paralympics with the likes of NBC in the U.S., EBU in Europe, Channel 4 in the U.K., NHK (sub-license: SkyPerfecTV) in Japan and Attitude Pictures (sub-license: TV New Zealand) in New Zealand. In the host country, broadcasters VGTRK, RBC TV and ANO Sports Broadcasting will show 180 hours of coverage. In addition to global broadcasters, the IPC will show more than 300 hours of coverage from the Games via its website www.paralympic.org. The IPC website will also feature four HD channels showing live and uninterrupted daily coverage of alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling (IPC). RIA NOVOSTI reported President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that "he will attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympics." The Games "are due to take place" between Friday and March 16. Putin said that "he would also try to attend some sporting events, including the sledge hockey and skiing" (RIA NOVOSTI, 3/5).
