Post Games (CWG 2010) Report on Main Press Centre
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Post Games (CWG 2010) report on Main Press Centre Submitted by Ashar Khan, Main Press Center Manager to the Press Information Bureau – PIB (The 2010 Commonwealth Gamed Organizing Committee had given the responsibility to manage and run the Main Press Center and press operations at the different Games venues of the 2010 Commonwealth Games to PIB) Introduction: Given under is a report on the way the Main Press Centre (MPC) for the Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 was managed and run by Press Information Bureau (PIB), which had hired Broadcast Engineering Consultant Limited (BECIL), a PSU of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, as a turnkey Delivery Partner for the Games. The state-of-the-art MPC was spread across 6,700 sq mts in Hall No. 12 & 12 A of the Pragati Maidan, ITPO complex, New Delhi. It catered to about 1,700 journalists, including around 700 from overseas. A dedicated workforce of 93 paid staff and 20 volunteers was deployed at the MPC to run the press operations. The operational timings of the MPC were 08:00 am to 10:00 pm between September 23 and September 30 and it remained open for accredited press 24 hours from October 1 to October 15. It closed at 10 pm on 16th October and operated from 8:00 am to 10 pm on October 17, 2010, the last day of the MPC. The report talks in detail about modus operandi of the key areas of the MPC: 1. Press workroom 2. Photo workroom (including management of photo service workshops set up by Canon & Nikon) (being submitted by Photo Consultant Mr SN Sinha) 3. Help desks (Main welcome desk, technology desk, communications desk, transportation desk, ticketing desk) 4. Management of press conferences 5. Rate Card offices 6. Games News Service (GNS) 7. Sports/live feed viewing rooms 8. Electronic Notice Boards (ENBs) 9. Media lounge 10. Wi-Fi area 11. Miscellaneous media services (like Bank/ATMs, convenience store, mobile store, post office, Games travel office etc) 12. Daily briefing and reporting on key areas of the MPC 13. A separate report on Games services (including media accreditation, catering, transportation, security, technology, cleaning & waste management) is being submitted by Press Manager Shikha Ghai. Overall media feedback on MPC: The Main Press Centre was hailed by some media representatives as better than the one at 2008 Beijing Olympics. International wire agency feedback: Australian Associated Press gave a letter of appreciation (scanned copy attached) to the MPC Press Ops team. An excerpt from the AAP letter, “Throughout the Games AAP found you to be most professional, courteous and obliging and we would like to express our gratitude to you”. On be “. Leading National daily feedback: One of the leading national dailies, The Hindu also acclaimed the efforts of the PIB Press Ops team in an e-mail (copy attached). An extract from the e-mail says, “With such a fantastic experience, and the tireless work that you put in for the Games, am sure you will fit into any such team in future and be of tremendous help in improving efficiency of execution”. MPC Key figures: ∑ Total media footfall during Games - 5,400 ∑ Average media turnout - 250 to 300 per day ∑ Peak hours - 11 am to 4 pm ∑ Busiest days - Oct 2, 2010 (Day before opening ceremony) Media turnout: 1,680 - Oct 13, 2010 (Day before closing ceremony) Media turnout: 1,660 ∑ Lean days - Oct 14, 2010 (Day of closing ceremony & India v Australia – men’s hockey final) Media turnout – 55 - Oct 15 to Oct 17, 2010. There was very little media turnout after the Games got over on October 14, 2010 ∑ Press Conferences held at MPC - 44 (between September 23, 2010 and October 14, 2010) ∑ Lockers issued to reporters - 544 (there were 8 defaulters who did not return the keys) 1. Press workroom: The press workroom (including the photo workroom) could accommodate 600 journalists at a time. a). Workforce & shifts: 28 paid staff and 13 volunteers were deployed in the press work area over 4 shifts – 1st shift (6 am to 4 pm), 2nd shift (2 pm to 12 pm), General shift (9 am to 8 pm) and night shift (11 am to 8 am). Most of the senior and experienced staff was put in the general shift so media management is done efficiently during peak hours. Each shift had a workroom manager, an assistant manager that would manage the workroom with the rest of the team. The workroom manager would be in constant touch with the MPC Press manager for resolution of extraordinary issues. While the MPC was operational around the clock during Games, the female staff was not allowed to stay at the MPC after 8 pm in the evening and before 6 am in morning. Volunteers did not have shifts longer than 8 hours and they were put in one of the 2 shifts for volunteers – Shift 1 (8 am to 4 pm) and Shift 2 (10 am to 6 pm) b). Facilities, usage & trend: S. Facility Usage Trend No. 1 400 The turnout of media It was expected that more workstations was good but at no than 1,000 media persons for point were all the would move in and out of reporters/print workstations and the MPC during peak hours journalists seating spaces fully – 7 am to 9 am and 5 pm to with 200 occupied. On a given 7pm. This did not happen desktops and day 600 to 700 media and at no given time there 100 seating persons visited the were more than 400 media spaces for MPC. The footfall representatives (including laptop users touched the 1,000 photo-journalists) were were made mark a day before present in the MPC. The available the opening and main reason for this seems closing ceremonies to be the long distances when the Prime between the competition Event Limitation venues and the MPC. The (PEL) tickets were MPC at the Melbourne distributed to media. 2006 Games was located Media turnout was very close to the also good on the competition venues and October 1, 2 and 3, had a large turnout of 2010 when the media for that reason. media kits were distributed. 2 Wi-Fi area There were 12 tables Most of the media would with capacity in the Wi-Fi area with use the desktops with to 6 chairs at each broadband connectivity. accommodate table. However, the This could have been 72 people at a Wi-Fi area was not because the workstations time. adequately used and were not fully occupied at usually 20 to 30 any point in time. media reps would be sitting in the area. 3 Broadband A total of 2 mbps There were a few hiccups in connectivity internet speed was the beginning but after the provided at the MPC. first couple of days media This meant that was very satisfied with the when all the 400 internet speed in the work workstations and 200 area. They never laptop spaces would complained about it and be in use, each complemented the desktop would have arrangement. at least 512 kbps internet speed. 4 Free printouts On an average around 150 printouts were taken by media representatives 5 Free On an average photocopying around 100 photocopies were taken by media representatives 6 Free national On an average & around 10 national international and 5 international faxing service faxes were sent by media representatives 7 GNS Info There were in all 40 Media complained terminals GNS Info terminals in vehemently about the non- the Press work area. availability of required This was the only material on info terminals. problem area at the The GNS team was unable MPC since the info to answer the queries since terminals were either they were dependent on slow or not updated. Swiss Timing to provide the In such a scenario the back support software – MPC press work area Info Content Management team & the ENB System – ICMS to generate team would be in and upload GNS content on constant touch with Info terminals the PIB nodal officers at the different competition and non- competition venues for results, records and related information. At times we asked nodal officers to scan copies of draws and results and mail the same to us when they would not have soft copies. This information was then given to media at MPC 8 Sports specific The workstations in Quite a few media persons dedicated the press workroom would follow the press monitors were laid out in rows conferences at the MPC and there was an LCD from the work area only. monitor at the end of This facility was made use each row that of for following the brought live feed different sports from the from different stadia. competition venues as well. The feed was in High The capacity was never full Definition for the and there never a first time ever at complaint about non- Commonwealth availability of workstations Games. Different or sports specific dedicated rows showed feed monitors from different stadia that allowed media to select a work station that they wanted to report on a particular sport 9 Press work A work area The media kept the help area help desk supervisor would desk staff busy with always be present at requests for printouts, the help desk along photocopying and faxing. with a volunteer to Most of the queries were take care of work about the GNS terminals related needs of (explained above). There media. Keys for were also inquiries about lockers were also medical facilities in the given from this desk MPC. The Medical FA of the OC was located in Hall No 7 that was a 5 to 10 minute walk from the MPC.