The Pacific Media Summit in Vanuatu this week has provided Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) a rare opportunity to meet with regional broadcasters and journalists to hear what their needs are in an ever-changing media environment.
OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas, who was in Port Vila for part of the five-day Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) conference, says it was particularly interesting to learn more about the technological advances and future digital strategy for the Pacific.
“In the past, it has been difficult for OFC to beam televised football matches across the region because of a lack of infrastructure and substantial cost of sending footage via satellite. But slowly the Pacific is becoming more and more connected through advanced technology and increasingly developed networks,” says Nicholas.
“With that in mind, OFC is looking at how best to serve the thousands of passionate football fans in Oceania who are hungry for coverage of the sport they love.”
During his short stay in Port Vila, Nicholas met with a number of key broadcasters including managing director of Fiji’s MAI TV Richard Broadbridge who was recently awarded the sub-licence to cover the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and other FIFA tournaments. Nicholas says discussions were productive and that MAI TV looks to be on track in delivering the FIFA matches across the Pacific.
“OFC is committed to ensuring local, regional and international football is available on free-to-air television wherever possible so we are working with the broadcasters who can best deliver that.”
Nicholas also noted the progress made under the FIFA-funded ‘Win in Oceania’ media project that is helping towards the development of weekly football shows in OFC member associations.
In Vanuatu that comes in the form of VanuaFoot – a radio and television show produced by Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) Media Officer Harry Atisson. VanuaFoot came about through the drive and vision of OFC President Reynald Temarii and is now a regular feature in Vanuatu thanks to an agreement between OFC, VFF and the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (VBTC).
Vanuatu is now the third country in the region to have its own football show along with the Solomon Islands and Tahiti. Nicholas says he is looking forward to the development of further shows under the Win in Oceania project.
“After a tour of the VBTC offices, I’ve now seen what goes into the production of these programmes and I believe all of our member associations will be very interested in following the example set in Vanuatu.”
Nicholas leaves Vanuatu today as the Pacific Media Summit draws to a close this evening.
OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas is interviewed for the VanuaFoot show
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Priscilla Duncan
Oceania Football Confederation
Media & Communications
T: +649 526 5651
F: +649 525 8164
M:+64 (0)21 884 018
Joel Tiller
Oceania Football Confederation
Media & Communications
T: +649 526 5654
F: +649 525 8164
M:+64 (0)21 994 520