Source: The Canadian Press

All of Team Canada's sledge hockey games during the 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver will be broadcast.

They'll be part of a planned 50 hours of coverage for the Paralympics that broadcast-rights holders for the Games are calling a first in Canadian history.

"To give the Paralympics the respect and proper attention it deserves, you need to give same-day coverage," said Keith Pelley, president of the Olympic broadcast media consortium, a group of radio and television stations led by CTV Inc. and Rogers Media.

Pelley said four of the five Paralympic events will be given same-day coverage and plans are in the works to broadcast all of the Team Canada sledge hockey games live, if the schedule allows for it, and if not, there would just a short delay.

There will also be a 90-minute highlights show airing in English on either CTV, TSN or Rogers Sportsnet and in French on RDS or RIS Info Sports.

By contrast, the consortium's websites alone will feature more than 2,000 hours of coverage of the Olympics.

The plan for 50 hours of coverage of the Paralympics was revealed last month, but the consortium released a few more details Wednesday about what Canadians can expect in 2010.

Pelley says while Canadians might be weary after 17 days of wall-to-wall Games coverage, the plan is to keep people hooked through the Paralympics as well.

Paralympic features will air in English and French during the Olympics and on the last day of those Games, the consortium will air a one-hour documentary.

"Hopefully we can rally Canadians around the Paralympic Games and create a lot more awareness for the movement," said Pelley.

The Paralympics will take place from March 12 to 21.

Pelley said the consortium plans to announce more details of both Paralympic and Olympic broadcasts in the near future, including details of opening ceremonies coverage, which will include broadcasts in seven languages.

He also said that despite the weakened economy, advertising sales for Olympic and Paralympic broadcasts were going well, with about 20 agreements already concluded.

© The Canadian Press