MUMBAI: Channel 4 has awarded IMG Sports Media the four-year production contract for the corporation?s exclusive horse racing coverage.

The deal includes all the sport?s premium events from January 2013 ? Cheltenham Festival, Aintree?s three-day John Smith?s Grand National meeting, the Investec Derby Festival from Epsom Downs, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and the entire Flat Season QIPCO British Champions Series.

The agreement, in operation from January 2013 till December 2016, runs alongside Channel 4?s four-year media agreement with Racecourse Media Group. In addition, Channel 4 Racing sponsors, Dubai, have signed a new four-year extension deal until 2016.

Channel 4 has also announced that acclaimed sports broadcaster Clare Balding will join as the lead presenter of Channel 4 Racing from 1 January. Her expertise and warmth will bring a new audience to the programmes, working alongside a combination of familiar and new talent to be announced later in the year.

Carl Hicks, BBC Sport Senior Programme Editor, will join IMG Sports Media to head up the team as Executive Producer, having recently edited the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The digital propositions for Channel 4?s horse racing coverage formed an important part of the tender process and Channel 4 and IMG Sports Media will relaunch channel4.com/racing and build new presences on other digital platforms.

MUMBAI: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed a new six-year deal with BBC Sport for the radio rights to broadcast ball-by-ball commentary on international cricket from 2014 to 2019.

The agreement, which will encompass two home Ashes series in 2015 and 2019, and tours by India in 2014 and South Africa in 2017, provides BBC radio with live and exclusive coverage of all England?s home Test, One-Day International and T20 series.

The BBC had previously agreed a four-year deal with ECB to broadcast live ball-by-ball coverage of international cricket which is due to expire at the end of the 2013 season.

ECB CEO David Collier said, ?The next six years are set to be exciting ones for the sport and Test Match Special?s coverage together with the regular summaries and updates provided by BBC Radio 5 live will play a significant role in
promoting cricket from the playground to the Test arena.?

BBC Sport director Barbara Slater said, ?We?re delighted to be taking cricket on the radio forward for a further six years. Test Match Special, now in its 55th year, is one of the most treasured programmes on the BBC with its unique mix of expert commentary, insight, humour and entertainment. In a new digital era the programme and its accompanying download have never been more popular with its audience.?