4. Broadcast
Putting Television First

The UK is one of the most advanced television markets in the world with a long broadcasting tradition and a reputation for innovation and excellence.

It is the biggest television market in Europe in terms of television advertising spend, and terrestrial channels deliver audiences in their tens of millions for major sporting events. In terms of technology, the UK has led the way in innovations such as pay-TV, digital and interactive TV.

The power of television through the proposed RWC and RWNC will deliver an enhanced audience, not only in the new markets, but in the traditional ones as well. Television will be able to build new characters from the RWNC countries as the two Tournaments run in parallel towards their respective climaxes. This will deliver additional viewers, as demonstrated in the UK, by the BBC during the recent Winter Olympics, when post-midnight on a Sunday, an audience of 5.7m watched the Curling event, a sport that does not get television coverage in the UK outside of the Olympics.

Most countries participating in the RWNC would, similarly, never get live TV coverage. By being part of a global event they will get coverage, live in their own countries and significant coverage globally. This will be a major boost in kick-starting a commercial programme for them.

RWC Broadcast Partner

RWC Ltd has chosen ITV as its UK broadcast partner for the RWC 2007 and this is a decision that the RFU welcomes for the reasons set out below.

Terrestrial Partner

A terrestrial, free-to-air channel provides a significantly higher television audience than satellite or cable platforms. This is important for the profile of the sport by providing an accessible shop window and for sponsors to achieve the maximum exposure and recognition for their brands‘ association with the Event.

Strong Track Record

ITV has had the UK broadcast rights to the last three RWCs. It has also secured the rights for 2003 and 2007. It has done an excellent job of capturing the excitement and drama of the Event, with accurate and informative coverage.

Archive Content

ITV’s archives of previous RWCs will be invaluable for pre-promoting the Event with promotional trailers, vignettes, on-air competitions, broadcast sponsorship, creative treatments, documentaries, historical reviews and preview programmes.

Commercial Viability

As the most significant commercial channel in the UK, ITV is able to deliver large audiences that are attractive to the game and RWC sponsors.

Regional Coverage

ITV has the ability to deliver network coverage via its two main channels, ITV1 and ITV2, but it also provides a third opportunity for significant additional coverage through its regional network structure. This regional structure is ideally suited to RWNC as a regionally based Event.

Additionally, we believe that there are many other opportunities for leveraging the exposure of the RWC and RWNC through existing programming strands such as the world famous ‘Coronation Street’ and more obvious routes such as factual programming. News coverage of the RWC will be strong throughout the Event.

Leading Edge Technology

Co-ordinating the production and the worldwide broadcast from such a volume of matches is always a technical challenge. Many of the key areas of leading edge technology are already in use by ITV and are described in more detail below.
Furthermore, ITV is committed to embracing any new technology that may become available between now and 2007. This may include virtual advertising. The RWC 2007 is five years away and it is important to have a partner that will remain at the forefront of technical and creative innovation.

Coverage Commitments

ITV believes that the RFU’s Alternative Tender is the best showcase for the game and will attract bigger and better television audiences. ITV will provide live multi-camera coverage across the ITV Network for the RWC. Every match of the main Tournament will be broadcast live on the ITV Network.

ITV will also fully support the RWNC with a combination of live coverage, highlights and magazine programming. The RWNC Pool stages will be covered in five magazine programmes that concentrate on the main news and action. From the quarter-finals onwards there will be live, multi-camera coverage of all RWNC matches.

ITV will also commit to producing a preview of the Event, using archive footage from previous RWCs, and a two-hour highlights review of the 2007 RWC.
See letter from ITV in Appendix 2 - Broadcast.

Scheduling

Scheduling will be subject to detailed conversations between RWC Ltd and ITV as Host Broadcaster. The scheduling and kick-off times will take account of both domestic requirements and the overseas needs of broadcast rights holders, as was the case in 1991 and 1999. Due consideration needs to be given to any other major events, but evidence from previous football World Cups and European Championships suggest that there are no negatives and, if anything, the focus of the RWC could be enhanced.

For the key matches, ITV favours double headers on Saturday and Sunday to be shown mid-afternoon and the ‘shoulder’ peak slot in the early evening. ITV’s preference would be for a thirty-minute opening ceremony before the first game that could start on any day of the week, but with a key objective of maximising the weekends that are within the period of the Tournament. The details of the opening and closing ceremonies would be subject to discussions between RWC Ltd, the Host Broadcaster and the Host Union.

Production Considerations

The RFU has developed working relationships with all domestic and overseas broadcasters over many years to ensure that production values are of the highest standard. This, together with the facilities that can be found in the recommended venues, provides the best possible basis to generate the best possible coverage.

ITV will utilise the following as part of its production platform.

Camera Angles and Technology

Innovative techniques and technologies will include:

• Steadicam - pioneered by John Watts (who directed the RWC 1999) as part of ISN’s live coverage of football and rugby
• aerial camera - a tethered blimp for ‘beauty’ shots and to provide an overview for tactical analysis
• remote hot-heads - from positions such as the top of the goal posts, these introduce visually dramatic pictures
• cranes in the stadia - can provide cameras that move to complement the action.

Action Replays and Analysis

Innovative techniques and technologies will include:

• EVS Digital Replay Systems - provide instant access to every camera angle for slow-motion or full-speed replays
• Super-Slo - valuable aid for the clarification of disputed incidents and to appreciate moments of skill and athleticism
• networking with fibre-channel connections between replay machines - enables operators to quickly and easily access clips and produce mini-highlights packages and ‘man-of-the-match’ features within the match coverage
• Telestration, chalkboarding and Image Magnification Analysis - enhances the role of the commentator and pundit to deal with controversial incidents and provide tactical insights.

Graphics

Innovative techniques and technologies will include:

• Aston Everest Graphic Systems - enable state-of-the-art visual design for all on-screen graphics, including video-image inlay for personalisation of biographical captions and image-capture technology for high-resolution reproduction of relevant logos
• 3-D animation - delivers real-time 3-dimensional transformation of graphics or captions to provide greater visual impact
• computerised statistics - improved interface between computers and on-screen graphics means match information can appear instantly within the match coverage to highlight trends of play and individual performances
• virtual imaging - adds visual interest to team introductions, match presentations and in-match graphics. From the virtual Titantron for player biographies, to the presentation of statistics ‘in-the-grass’ (e.g. distance to kick), reality can be enhanced when live action is not the main focus.

Broadcast Facilities

Broadcast centre facilities arrangements would be similar to those for the 1991 and 1999 tournaments. ITV will provide a central switching centre where feeds from each game will be collected and distributed. ITV’s regional structure is ideally suited to provide additional facilities, such as editing and offices, which broadcast partners are likely to require.

ITV has broadcast compound facilities at each of the proposed grounds. The space available at each of them is more than sufficient to house the host broadcast vehicles needed to provide the world feed and domestic output. There is additional capacity in the compounds to take into account outside broadcast vehicles for additional broadcasters who wish to have a presence on site. In each compound, ITV would have a liaison office to co-ordinate parking, passes and unilaterals.

Alternative Feeds

As part of its role as Host Broadcaster for five venues in Japan during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, ITV/ISN worked with the organising committee to provide several additional feeds as well as the main match coverage. These offered extra value for the rights holder and were charged as a ‘deluxe package’ by JAWOC/SOWOC.

Such feeds can be used either as a complete replacement for the traditional match coverage, in conjunction with the match feed to customise a broadcaster’s output or in parallel with the match feed as part of an interactive service. Some examples of these feeds are:

• Basic International Feed (BIF) - continuous live feed from the venue which can be put directly to air without any additional studio facilities. Comes with an English guide commentary and electronic running order, accessible via the internet to facilitate off-tube commentary by the broadcaster
• Extended Basic International Feed (EBIF) - deluxe version of the above, including pre-edited features and more live coverage from the venue which can be broadcast as a complete programme. Guide scripts for all VTR packages are made available via the internet to allow live off-tube voice-over
• Team A/B Feed - dedicated camera feed is available for each team which concentrates solely on live pictures relevant to that team. During the 2002 FIFA World Cup, this camera focused on the relevant coach or groups of supporters
• Tactical Feed - a fixed blimp or crane camera provides a view of the whole field at all times to show the development of play. It is useful for interactive services and tactical analysis.

Interactivity

As part of ITV’s broadcasts in the UK, Carlton Active will offer a fully interactive service on the digital platform offering the following features:

• Information Section - rules and regulations, team and player profiles, live scores, text updates, highlights, players’ positions and movements, players’ aerobic data
• Commercial Section - games, voting, betting, chat rooms, pundit room, studio room, friends’ exchange.
  

"In terms of television support we will provide multi-camera coverage across the ITV Network for the RWC. Every match of the main Tournament will be broadcast live on the ITV Network. ITV will also support the RWNC with a combination of live coverage, highlights and magazine programming. We will cover the early stages in four magazine programmes that covers the main news and action. From the quarter-finals onwards we will provide multi-camera coverage. As you are aware, we have been involved in the last three RWCs and we would use archive footage to preview the 2007 event and help pre-promote it. We would also propose a two-hour review of the 2007 RWC." Brian Barwick, Controller of ITV Sport