The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is ready to broadcast all 64 World Cup matches live during the month-long tournament, it says.
The broadcaster's GM for the 2010 World Cup, Peter Kwele, says it will make use of its 18 radio stations, three television channels and other media platforms, such as the Internet. The SABC spent about R200 million to broadcast the 2010 Fifa World Cup to South African viewers and listeners.
Addressing the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Sport, Kwele said the SABC also aimed to increase support for Bafana Bafana and be recognised as a world-class broadcast service.
The SABC is required to provide technology services for the live broadcast coverage of all 64 matches on SABC 1 and SABC 2, with all channels being available on analogue, DSTV and Vivid in standard definition.
Of the 64 matches, 56 will be broadcast live on SABC 1, while eight matches will be broadcast on SABC 2.
Kwele says the “SABC saw the World Cup as an opportunity to emerge as a broadcaster of world-class status by delivering the ultimate broadcast experience for both television and radio listeners”.
Production will take place at the SABC's 1 800m2 2010 Fifa World Cup Sportainment Centre, located at the Sandton Convention Centre. The company has hired the venue from the World Legacy Group in a rent-for-advertising deal. This will allow the broadcaster to hire the venue in return for R14 million worth of advertising.
All units on deck
In addition to covering all the matches live on radio and television, the SABC has brought additional camera units on board to capture the atmosphere around the tournament, says Kwele.
The broadcaster will present 12 games live from the stadium using a five-camera outside broadcast van. Eight matches will be presented from public viewing area fan parks and all 64 matches will be presented live from a studio at the SABC Broadcast Centre, in Sandton.
Production of the matches will be in high-definition, which will then be converted to standard definition at the SABC's Henley studios for broadcast. However, the games will be archived in high-definition.
As many as four high-definition outside broadcast vans will be used to cover the 12 matches presented live from stadiums. Two mobile production units and two EVS vans will be used for the coverage of the eight matches presented live from public viewing areas. EVS is a video server used on outside-broadcast vans.
In addition, one outside production van and one standard-definition mobile production unit will be on standby for unexpected events.
Two digital satellite newsgathering units with two cameras each will be used for the live coverage from the 47 public viewing areas.
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