PROJECT 2010 - Preparing South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™

Project 2010 - A Twenty Ten Media and Marketing Initiative

PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD

Media

Many opportunities for glory in marketing arena - 10/07/2006

On the playing field, the WC produced only one winner. In the marketing arena, however, it created many opportunities for glory - as well as a few disappointments. The New York Times reports that "Frances surprising run showed that old football players like Zinédine Zidane (34) can still perform at a top level. At a time when many viewers are turning away from mainstream media, the WC demonstrates the continuing power of live sports events to pull in the mass audiences that advertisers crave."

Full report in The New York Times

Workshop to prepare sport journalists for 2010 - 14/06/2006

Journalists interested in improving their sports writing skills, especially in preparation for covering the 2010 WC in SA, are encouraged to register for a three-day workshop. The International Journalists Network reports that "the course is scheduled for June 26 to 30 The workshop will cover in-depth sports reporting skills, such as interviewing techniques and how to write features. Ethics in sports reporting and media law issues will also be addressed."

Full International Journalists Network report

Primedia secures live broadcast from Berlin - 30/05/2006

Cape Town-based events company Promedia has secured a radio studio for stations interested in broadcasting live from Germany during the last week of the WC. Bizcommunity reports that "this is when the top brass of SA soccer, government and media will be descend on Berlin to receive the handover as the host of the next World Cup in 2010."

Full Bizcommunity.com report

Conference geared towards 2010 roleplayers - 29/05/2006

A conference is underway to ensure that municipalities are able to contribute to the successful hosting of the 2010 WC. According to a report on the News24 site, "the conference has also given other role-players, especially business, a chance to seize opportunities during preparations for the tournament and beyond, for which government will be spending over R400bn."

Full report on the News24 site

ITV loses out as companies invest elsewhere - 29/05/2006

No media company should treat the WC as a gravy train, as ITV has found to its cost. The Guardian reports that "the broadcaster was expecting a much-needed boost from advertisers keen to market their beers, deodorants and cars to captive males following every kick and tackle in Germany next month. Instead, it has been caught offside by a general market downturn and companies investing their money elsewhere."

Full report in The Guardian

News operations restructure for World Cup - 27/05/2006

When the Football Federation of Australia simulcast its World Cup squad announcement on SBS television and Web site Yahoo!7 earlier this month, it was a small sign of things to come. AustraliaIT reports that "TV audiences and newspaper circulations are under pressure, while time spent online is growing rapidly. Media companies around the world are restructuring their newsrooms and their businesses to cope with the change the Internet and developing media are wreaking on their customers media and news consumption habits."

Full AustralianIT report

SBS Television wins broadcasting rights for 2010 in Australia - 06/04/2006

SBS Television has been awarded the Australian television broadcast rights for both the 2010 and 2014 soccer World Cups. The Age reports that "Fifa has announced SBS Television will carry the exclusive free-to-air and pay television rights, as well as broadband Internet rights, for both tournaments."