In a week when South Africans all over the world celebrated the 100-day countdown to the kick-off to our biggest sports tournament ever, local celebrations were caught up in a spat between the Hong Kong broadcast-rights holders iCable and the other two broadcasters, ATV and TVB.
In a nutshell, iCable made a successful bid for the broadcast rights to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while ATV and TVB declined to bid. iCable then decided that, unlike during the two previous World Cups, they will make the TV broadcast available to TVB and ATV, provided they agree to broadcast the entire iCable programme schedule, including advertisements. TVB and ATB declined and instead wrote to FIFA to try and get clarity on the issue.
At the unveiling ceremony on Wednesday, South African Consul-General Ms Tembi Tambo, however played down the spat instead confirming that the local media tussle “will not mar the spectacle half a world away.” (See The Standard article below)
The countdown ceremony at Hong Kong’s Times Square on Wednesday, organised by iCable was not reported on by TVB’s English language Pearl TV during any on their news broadcasts on the evening of the unveiling. Howzit-HongKong.com however, was not able to monitor ATV’s coverage on the evening.
At Times Square on Wednesday, hoards of media with their cameras were to be seen, but like we’ve seen (and reported on) at the Invictus premiere, one cannot say whether they were there for the celebrations or for the opportunity to interview the iCable head honcho about the current 2010 media spat.
Thankfully, as we reported in several posts after the countdown ceremony, the local English print media and in particular the South China Morning Post (SCMP) did a great job on covering this momentous occasion. We noticed that SCMP’s sports reporter Alvin Sallay had another in-deep discussion with Mark Fish in this morning’s Sunday Morning Post (more about that tomorrow). Here’s how the local English-language daily, The Standard reported on Wednesday’s countdown-clock event:
Although only about a week old, SA 2010 Ambassador Mark Fish’s baby daughter is already making ripples on the other side of the world.
On the day that we were supposed to attend a media conference with South African 2010 Ambassador Mark Fish, the Hong Kong media was alerted that the press conference was cancelled due to the birth of Fish’s baby-daughter.
As I’ve mentioned before, there are two things dear to the Chinese heart: one is their food with the other being their kids; and not always in that order. The latter showed during the unveiling of the 2010 countdown clock. The MC started his questions (see video) to the former Bafana Bafana (SA soccer team) player with a question about his baby. I also heard two other reporters start their questions with the same issue.
The local English daily’s sports reporter Alvin Sallay, though of Sri Lankan descent, was not left out and he filed the following story in the South China Morning Post the following day:
If there’s one thing that Hong Kong people love it’s their seafood. This time around it was fish…
Mark Anthony Fish.
FIFA 2010 Ambassador Mark Fish this afternoon unveiled a special 2010 Countdown Clock at Causeway Bay’s Times Square.
The South African Consulate in Hong Kong, under the energetic leadership of Consul-General Ms. Tembi Tambo has been very busy promoting what will certainly be South Africa and indeed Africa’s biggest sporting event:
The 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
The Consulate partnered with local broadcast rights-holder Hong Kong Cable TV, the Hong Kong Football Club and the Leisure & Cultural Services Department to organise what was a very enjoyable media event. The afternoon kicked off with a Diski Dance performance by a South African dance group who travelled to Times Square directly from the airport. There was no jet-lag to be seen as the energetic troupe entertained the assembled media and local shoppers on stage.
Diski Dance… This is how we do it in Africa, La! Ke Nako / It’s out time!
Mark Fish was then invited to the stage to tell the audience about, amongst other questions, just what the 2010 World Cup means to him as well as to South Africans at large. Feeeeeesh (as the fans would shout when Fish touched the ball back in the days) did himself and the South African Local Organising Committee (LOC) proud by giving the assembled media a glimpse of what they can expect at the World Cup in just under 100 days. In typical Hong Kong style, questions from the MC opened about the recent addition to the Fish family! (The Consulate had alerted the local media that Mark’s girlfriend had given birth to a baby girl recently.)
SA Consul-General Ms Tembi Tambo joined Mark Fish at Times Square (Pic: Mike Jansen)
The event ended with Fish joining invited guests to unveil a special 2010 countdown clock.
As will be the case come the FIFA 2010 World Cup, the sound of the Vuvuzela was heard throughout the ceremony, courtesy of the Diski Dancers!
Ke Nako! It’s our time.
Bring on 2010!
(If you’re in SA, please click on theInsurance4Women.co.za ad to support Howzit-HongKong.com)
Former South African (Bafana Bafana) footballer Mark Fish will visit Hong Kong this week as a guest of the South African Consulate.
South African Consul-General in Hong Kong Ms Tembi Tambo has been actively promoting events around South Africa’s 2010 Soccer World Cup and invited Mark Fish, who is also a 2010 World Cup Ambassador, to Hong Kong.
2010 Ambassadors Mark Fish (left) and Lukas Radebe with President Zuma (Pic: WEF)
Today (March 2, 2010) marks the official 100-day countdown to the start of the World Cup in South Africa. During a media event to be hosted by local broadcast rights-holder iCable tomorrow (Wednesday March 3), Fish will unveil a special World Cup countdown clock at the piazza at Times Square, Causeway Bay.
During his stay in Hong Kong, Mark Fish will also conduct two football clinics for aspiring players at the Hong Kong Football Club as well as in Kowloon City.
