Games panel puts media plan on track

Finalised by the organising committee CEO Jarnail Singh,modelled closely on the facilities provided in Manchester and those during the 2008 Beijing Olympics,the extensive media plan also aims to assist both national and global media in coverage and make the foreign mediapersons feel at home.

A state of the art Main Press Centre (MPC) and International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) will come up at Pragati Maidan. Covering an area of 6,500 square metres,the Main Press Centre will accommodate around 600 journalists.

As in Beijing,the MPC in the Capital,with facilities like wi-fi,hi speed broadband connection,and desktops,will be the main work station for journalists. The organising committee will also provide for ‘unique rental space areas’ for foreign wire services through which an area of around 400 sq mts. can be rented out to them to set up their work base till the event is on.

Facilities like pay phones,TV screens,a Press lounge,a medical centre with a doctor on call at any hour,will also be provided for at the MPC,IBC and the 23 venue media centres at all Games venues.

The IBC would have studios and production broadcasting facilities and the centre is expected to open a month before the Games. All facilities,however,will be ready for use by April next year,say officials.

As already confirmed by Delhi Police and the state administration,there will be a dedicated lane for the movement of athletes,officials and the press.

Shuttle buses will ferry the accredited journalists. Other facilities on the cards include catering,a Games News Service,comprising chosen journalists,that will function like the official wire for the event and photo services.

The extensive planning is the effort of the organising committee’s Press Operations Department. Their aim,while devising the media plan,was to ensure that the “taxpayers’ money is used judiciously.”

“We also wish to develop a sort of legacy of research and development for sports events that are organised here in future. Our team followed past examples and studied the minutest details while assessing all requirements journalists might have while covering the Games,” said an official.

While the operations of the Main Press Centre has been outsourced to the PIB,the International Broadcast Centre and the media centre at all venues will be directly under the organising committee while the mega event is on.