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Samsung to supply TV screens for PyeongChang Olympics

Posted November. 03, 2017 07:27,   

Updated November. 03, 2017 09:01

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Athletes, spectators and sports game authorities attending the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics will watch the games on Samsung TV screens instead of Panasonic. The Korean electronics manufacturer has become the exclusive supplier for B2C (business to customer) TVs for the upcoming winter Olympics to be held in Korea. It is the first time for the Olympic Games to have a Korean manufacturer, instead of Panasonic, supply TVs. Panasonic had also been the supplier for the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

The electronics industry and the PyeongChang Olympics Organization Committee revealed on Thursday that 5,000 units, worth 2.4 billion won, of Samsung TV screens will be supplied at stadiums, athletes’ training centers and media centers of the Olympics.

As the PyeongChang Olympics will use UHD for live broadcasting, most of the TV screens supplied by Samsung will be UHD-supportive. Since 1987, Panasonic has been the exclusive supplier of TV screens when it joined the TOP program. Samsung Electronics acquired the same qualification in 1988, but its rights have been limited to wireless communications and IT devices.

Samsung Electronics and Panasonic succeeded in signing a strategic deal in July. For the PyeongChang Olympics only, Samsung will become the sponsor for TVs, while Panasonic agreed to take over Samsung’s rights to supply printers and notebook PCs in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Samsung is also entitled to include the word “Olympics” in marketing, including newspaper and TV advertisements.



Jae-Hee Kim jetti@donga.com