Rio de Janeiro (13 June 2014) - In a bold strategy, the Brazilian federal government developed an ambitious integrated media coverage plan to bring information about Brazil to journalists from around the world. 

“The goal is to collaborate with foreign media professionals by providing access to tools and sources that can help them in their coverage of the World Cup,” says Olímpio Cruz, Press Secretary with the Secretariat for Social Communication of the Presidency of Brazil. 

The Open Media Centres (OMCs) are the government’s main focus points in activities to support the work of journalists covering the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. Operating in 12 host cities, the OMCs have already granted accreditation to about 5,000 professionals coming from more than 70 countries.

“The partnership between federal and state governments, as well as the municipalities, was crucial to enabling this initiative,” says Cruz. The OMCs offer all the infrastructure journalists (whether accredited by FIFA or not) need to cover the tournament, and also offer press conferences with official spokespersons, cultural events and press tours to locations of interest in each host city.

In Rio de Janeiro alone, where the federal government assumed direct responsibility for setting up the OMC’s structure and schedule in partnership with the city of Rio de Janeiro’s municipal government, the João Saldanha Open Media Centre (named in honor of the famous native Rio Grande do Sul journalist and commentator who became coach of the Brazilian national football team in 1970) has already accredited 2,600 journalists from 66 countries in town to cover the World Cup. The João Saldanha OMC is operating in the Copacabana Fort.

The Centre has a team of more than 20 trilingual media advisers who support global media professionals, and also offers an extensive schedule that includes press conferences with Ministers of State, guided tours and tastings of Brazilian cuisine and products. 

“We want to make sure reporters have the proper conditions to deliver their coverage of the event. It is an important moment of visibility for Brazil,” said Cruz.

The OMC’s program began with a press conference with Rio de Janeiro Governor Luiz Fernando Pezão, Minister of Sport Aldo Rebelo, Minister of Culture Marta Suplicy and the Minister of the Secretariat for Communication of the Presidency of the Republic (SECOM) Thomas Traumann. The opening event of the Rio OMC attracted more than 200 journalists.

On June 10, the Centre also conducted a press conference with the Chief of the Joint Staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces, General José Carlos De Nardi, and with the Head of the Special Secretariat for Security of Major Events (SESGE) of the Ministry of Justice, Andrei Rodrigues, who talked to the press about the security plan prepared for the Brazilian government for the World Cup. By the end of the tournament, the OMC will have held more than 15 press conferences with official spokespersons from the federal government and partners on issues related to holding the World Cup in Brazil.

The OMC also offers the following materials (all available in English, Spanish and Portuguese): the Media Guide, with tips about Brazil and the 12 host cities; the manual What You Need to Know About the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, with economic, social and infrastructure data on the World Cup 2014; and Story Ideas, a news topic guide on the 12 host cities, the five regions of Brazil and federal government programs.

The program of the João Saldanha OMC also includes 13 press tours, all focused on tourism, innovation and projects that unite sport and social inclusion. The press tours include visits to the Petrobras Research Center, to a Navy ship that will patrol the coast during the event and to football training centers for children.

Infrastructure

Besides broadband Internet, Wi-Fi access and workstations for journalists, the João Saldanha OMC in Rio de Janeiro also offers TV broadcasting services and radio studios. The government has also provided a stock footage repository of the 12 host cities for use by any media outlet in the world. The repository can be accessed for free through the website, http://copabrasil.ebc.com.br. 

In Rio de Janeiro, the Centre will operate everyday through 14 July, from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. The content produced by the OMC, such as press releases, interviews with government officials and videos of press conferences will be made available on the web: http://www.brasil.gov.br/centro-aberto-de-midia/open-MEDIA-centre.

The federal government will also play an important role in the Open Media Centres of the other host cities, particularly with staffing. Media advisers from the federal government were allocated to all OMCs of host cities to assist in interactions with the press. 

Accreditation to use OMC facilities must be obtained through the World Cup Portal.

For additional information, please visit:

www.copa2014.gov.br/cam (Portuguese)
www.copa2014.gov.br/en/cam (English)