MUMBAI: The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) head of sport, John Barton, has been appointed as chairman of the World Broadcasting Unions' (WBU) Sports Committee.

Barton was unanimously elected by representatives of the sport committee convening at a recent World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) meeting. He will represent broadcast unions from Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas, Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean with a combined television audience of five billion people, states a press release.

"I am delighted to take on this additional role and the challenges it poses," Barton said from Kuala Lumpur.

"There are difficult times ahead for many free-to-air broadcasters in the new media environment, and for sports federations eager to see their product televised to the masses," he added.

He said he would also be focusing on strategies to counter the continuing escalation in broadcast rights fees, and how the various media assets would be exploited in the years to come.

Earlier this year, Barton was appointed to the Radio and Television Commission of the International Olympic Committee, which overseas all elements of broadcast operations for both the Summer and Winter Games, adds the release.

The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union is a non-profit, non-government, professional association of broadcasting organisations, formed in 1964 to facilitate the development of broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region and to organise co-operative activities amongst its members.

It currently has over 150 members in 55 countries, with its broadcaster members reaching a potential audience of about 3 billion people. The ABU provides a forum for promoting the collective interests of television and radio broadcasters, and engages in activities to encourage regional and international co-operation between broadcasters.