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Television and the Games

Although there had been limited television coverage, beamed by closed circuit to specified halls, in Berlin in 1936, the first true television coverage came at Wembley in 1948. There were only a limited number of receivers within range of Wembley stadium, but this was the start. The camera here is focused on one of the 1500m heats.

Live international coverage came from Rome in 1960, and pictures from Tokyo in 1964 were the first to be sent via satellite. The Games in colour was first broadcast from Mexico City in 1968. Television is now the biggest source of the IOC‘s income from the Games, mainly due to the intense rivalry of the American TV networks. In 1960, CBS paid out $394,000 for the privilege of showing the Games. NBC are paying in excess of $1.1 billion for United States exclusivity at the 2012 Games in London.