Satellite dish farm at the IBC in Munich during 2006 FIFA World Cup

The International Broadcast Centre (IBC) is a temporary hub for broadcasters during major sport events. It is also known as the International Press Center (IPC) or Main Press Center (MPC).

FIFA World Cup

IBC/MPC host cities

Entrance to the IBC at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

2006 edition in Munich

Master Control Room of the IBC

During the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, the IBC in Munich was host to journalists from around 190 countries. The centre was based at the Munich Fairgrounds. The centre included 30,000 m2 (322,917 sq ft) of total space, 966 tonnes of fir wood and 22,500 m2 (242,188 sq ft) of wooden panels/walls, nearly 700 doors, fifteen television studios and was operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The building is now known as the Munich Exhibition Centre. 120 television and radio channels had broadcast images and reports of the World Cup, from the centre to the 190 countries that they serve. Each channel had an allocated space on the floor, which were separated by wooden panels.

FIFA Women's World Cup

IBC/MPC host cities

UEFA European Football Championship

IBC at Leipzig Messe during UEFA Euro 2024

During the UEFA Euro 2016, in France, the IBC in Paris was host to journalists from around 190 countries. 120 television and radio channels had broadcast images and reports of the European Football Championship, from the centre to the 190 countries that they serve. Each channel had a space on the 30,000 square meter floor, separated by wooden panels.

IBC/MPC host cities

Olympic Games

The section fronting the Olympic Stadium during the Games
Wakasato Civic Cultural Hall in June 2006
Salt Palace convention center during the 2002 Winter Olympics
The IBC in Stratford, London, taken during the 2012 Summer Olympics
The Main Media Center in Sochi, which included the MPC and the IBC.
The MPC (left) in Rio de Janeiro is connected to the IBC building

An International Broadcast Centre is created at every Olympic Games. Broadcasters from around the world build studios in what is generally a large conference centre, such as the Georgia World Congress Center, which was used for the Atlanta Games. Olympic Broadcasting Services provides each of these rights-holders a video and audio feed from each venue, beauty shots from around the Olympic venues, transmission facilities, etc.

The inaugural IBC was created for the Tokyo 1964 Summer Olympics during the inaugural Olympics to be telecast internationally without the need for tapes to be flown overseas, as they had been for the 1960 Olympics four years earlier. These were also the first Olympic Games to have color telecasts, albeit partially.

EditionCityCountryVenue or location
1964 WinterInnsbruckAustriaInnrain campus of the University of Innsbruck (MPC)
1964 SummerTokyoJapanNHK Broadcasting Center
1968 WinterGrenobleFranceMalherbe apartment complex and various locations
1968 SummerMexico CityMexicoNational Autonomous University of Mexico
1972 WinterSapporoJapanMakomanai Park and Hokkaido Youth Hall (MPC)
1972 SummerMunichWest GermanyZentrale Hochschulsportanlage (IBC) and Olympia Pressestadt (MPC)
1976 WinterInnsbruckAustriaIVB Halle (IBC) and Pedagogical Academy Tyrol[de] (MPC)
1976 SummerMontrealCanadaCité du Havre (IBC) and Complexe Desjardins (MPC)
1980 WinterLake PlacidUnited StatesHighway Dept. Garage
1980 SummerMoscowSoviet UnionOlympic TV and Radio Broadcasting Complex (OTRK) (IBC) Media headquarters at 4 Zubovsky Boulevard (MPC)
1984 WinterSarajevoYugoslaviaRTV Center (IBC) Youth Centre Skenderija (MPC)
1984 SummerLos AngelesUnited StatesUniversity of Southern California Los Angeles Convention Center (MPC)
1988 WinterCalgaryCanadaBig Four Building (Stampede Park)
1988 SummerSeoulSouth KoreaKBS Building
1992 WinterAlbertvilleFranceLa Léchère (MPC) and Moûtiers (IBC)
1992 SummerBarcelonaSpainFira de Barcelona pavilions in Montjuïc
1994 WinterLillehammerNorwayInland Norway University of Applied Sciences Campus
1996 SummerAtlantaUnited StatesGeorgia World Congress Center
1998 WinterNaganoJapanWakasato Civic Cultural Hall (MPC) A renovated former textile mill (IBC)
2000 SummerSydneyAustraliaSydney Olympic Park Pavilions
2002 WinterSalt Lake CityUnited StatesSalt Palace Convention Center
2004 SummerAthensGreeceGolden Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex
2006 WinterTurinItalyLingotto Fiere Exhibition Centre
2008 SummerBeijingChinaOlympic Green Convention Centre
2010 WinterVancouverCanadaVancouver Convention Centre (IBC) and Canada Place (MPC) Whistler Conference Centre (IBC/MPC)
2010 Summer (Youth)SingaporeSingaporeMarina Bay Sands
2012 Winter (Youth)InnsbruckAustriaInnsbruck Exhibition Centre[de] (IBC) and OlympiaWorld (MPC)
2012 SummerLondonUnited KingdomLondon Olympics Media Centre
2014 WinterSochiRussiaSochi Olympic Park
2014 Summer (Youth)NanjingChinaNanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park
2016 Winter (Youth)LillehammerNorwayMesna Upper Secondary School
2016 SummerRio de JaneiroBrazilBarra Olympic Park
2018 WinterPyeongchangSouth KoreaAlpensia Resort
2018 Summer (Youth)Buenos AiresArgentinaLa Rural Convention Centre (IBC) Parque Olímpico de la Juventud (MPC)
2020 Winter (Youth)LausanneSwitzerlandLe Flon
2020 SummerTokyoJapanTokyo Big Sight
2022 WinterBeijingChinaChina National Convention Center (MPC/IBC) Zhangjiakou Mountain Media Centre (IBC/MPC)
2024 Winter (Youth)GangwonSouth KoreaE-Zen Experience Training Centre
2024 SummerParisFranceHall 3 at Le Bourget Exhibition Centre[fr] (IBC) Palais des congrès de Paris (MPC)
2026 WinterMilanItalyFiera Milano Rho
2028 SummerLos AngelesUnited StatesHollywood Park Studios
2032 SummerBrisbaneAustraliaVisy Glass factory in West End (IBC) Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (MPC)

Notes

External links

  • Media related to International Broadcast Centres at Wikimedia Commons