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PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD |
Peter Kwele has been appointed as the new head of SABC's crucial 2010 project unit, ending months of speculation as to who would fill the position. Kwele was previously SABC's general manager for strategic marketing and communications. Project 2010 asked him….  What is your reaction to this announcement? I am very humbled by the decision. It is an enormous responsibility to help ensure the successful delivery of the 2010 World Cup and it's a responsibility I will take very seriously. What are the biggest challenges facing the SABC in the build-up to 2010? Firstly it is to ensure that we will be able to broadcast all the matches and to make sure that viewers will be able to watch the games without interruption. We have to be geared up technologically to ensure that we will capture the matches in high-definition because that is the preferred manner of broadcasting all over the world. Nevertheless viewers will still be able to be recieve in monologue. Another challenge is to get South Africans behind the World Cup - as the public broadcaster we obviously have significant influence and it is critical that we use this platform to convey the message. We can take lessons from other countries like China, for example. I was there for the Beijing Olympics and you could feel the vibe and the atmosphere. I think the enthusiasm was evident in their volunteer programme at the airports and the stadium .....there are lessons for South Africa. What has the SABC been doing to raise awareness about 2010? We've been doing a lot. Our downfall is that we haven't been communicating what we have been doing. That is all changing now and we will be announcing our marketing campaign - with our employees as well as our viewers. Can you give us an idea of what's in store? We are very focused on public viewing. We realised with Germany that public viewing will be key to 2010. As a result, we had a successful public viewing initiative with the 2007 Rugby World Cup where fans were able to watch the final. There are other initiatives we are working on. We want every South African to own a national flag....we want every South African to have an affordable replica Bafana jersey. That way the entire planet will see a sea of colours in the stadiums, in the fan parks and in the streets. And in terms of your broadcasting responsibilities? We have commissioned educational programmes that will keep the public informed on all the 2010 developments and they will also educate the viewers on how to buy tickets ...the seating arrangements at stadiums and so on. We have the opportunity to reach every South Africans and we must make the most of this responsibility. What about the rest of Africa? We are working closely with FIFA and the African Union of Broadcasters to make sure this event is broadcast to as many people as possible throughout the continent. more interviews...
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