CBC Sports to broadcast Raptors in Punjabi
Last Updated: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 | 2:33 PM ET
CBC Sports
Toronto's Jose Calderon, left, and L.A.'s Baron Davis will be two of the stars on display when CBC Sports broadcasts the March 22 Clippers-Raptors game in Punjabi. (Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)Already the Canadian leader in multi-language sports broadcasting, CBC Sports announced Tuesday it will soon offer the first Punjabi-language telecast of President's Choice Toronto Raptors Basketball.
Parminder Singh, the voice of CBC's Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi broadcasts and host of Omni Television's Chardi Kalaa, will call the play-by-play when the Los Angeles Clippers visit Toronto on Sunday, March 22, at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Harnarayan Singh, a freelance reporter with CBC Radio in Calgary, will provide analysis for the game, which will also be available in English on CBC Television.
He told CBC Calgary on Tuesday the feedback from the hockey games was very positive.
"I'm hearing a lot of great stories from within the community, that families are sitting down together and watching the broadcast," he said. "[It's a ] good way to bridge the cultures —Canadian culture with sports. You've got hockey, basketball, baseball. Who knows where this could end up?
The Punjabi broadcast will be available free to Bell TV subscribers on channel 249; to Rogers digital cable subscribers in Ontario and New Brunswick on channel 401; and to Shaw Digital Cable subscribers in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba on channel 333.
Viewers should contact their local service provider for details.
CBC Sports began broadcasting NHL games in Punjabi during last year's Stanley Cup playoffs, and has continued throughout the 2008-09 season.
