WITH only eight weeks until the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, the national radio rights holder Macquarie Radio Network is finally set to sign a deal with ABC radio for event coverage.

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WITH only eight weeks until the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, the
national radio rights holder Macquarie Radio Network is finally set to
sign a deal with ABC radio for event coverage.

Delays in finalising the contract to allow ABC radio's traditional
national radio coverage of the Games have generated concern in Olympic
circles, as the International Olympic Committee's charter states the
Games should be given the widest possible radio and TV broadcast.

But the ABC's deal with Macquarie, which owns 2GB, will largely black
out the ABC's Sydney coverage of the Games.

"Talks have progressed very well and we are now finalising discussions
with a view to signing a deal (with the ABC) tomorrow or the next
day," Macquarie Radio chief operating officer Stuart Thomas told
Media.

"We finalised the commercial elements of the deal some time ago but
when dealing with rights like the Olympics there is quite a lot of
paper work and quite a lot of legal and technical points. We have
managed to conclude that."

Although ABC Radio had been planning on the basis a deal would be
reached, the fact that it has taken so long to finalise has caused
considerable uncertainties for the national radio network, which has
been unable to market its planned coverage.

Macquarie paid an estimated $800,000 to the Seven Network for national
radio rights to the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.

At the Athens Olympics, ABC Radio reached an agreement with Macquarie
(not related to the bank of the same name) well ahead of the Games.

Macquarie wants Sydney broadcaster Ray Hadley to be the voice of the
Games.

The news that a deal was imminent came after Australia's senior IOC
member Kevan Gosper expressed concern about the delays. He was "very
concerned" the deal for ABC Radio coverage had not been finalised.

"As an IOC member, my worry is that there could be a limit of radio
broadcasts into regional areas in Australia," he said.

"The ABC is really the only organisation that can do that."

Mr Thomas said Macquarie had on-sold the commercial rights for Olympic
coverage to the Sports Entertainment Network in Melbourne and 5AA in
Adelaide and was in negotiations to sell the rights in Perth and to
regional stations.

As the Games are only two hours behind eastern standard time, they are
expected to prove ideal for radio