The International Olympic Committee. (awards European broadcasting rights of the 2000-2008 Olympic Games to the European Broadcasting Union)(Brief Article)

Broadcasting & Cable, February, 1996 by Amdur, Meredith

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) nipped Rupert Murdoch's latest sports acquisition ambitions in the bud last week, awarding exclusive European broadcast rights to the Olympic games from 2000 to 2008 to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the body that represents Europe's public broadcasters.

Although the IOC received higher offers than EBU's--a consortium including Rupert Murdoch reportedly bid $2 billion--the EBU, which has been broadcasting the Olympics since 1960, offered $1.4 billion plus a 50-50 profit share arrangement, the details of which are not yet final. Richard Bunn, sports controller for the EBU, said the IOC's decision was based on "other issues besides money."