Algiers 2007 – MDP Participants break up into small groups for the Workshops (© c)
MonteCarloThe most visible IAAF activities around the world are those related to athletes and competitions, but there are other, lesser known aspects of its action, including media education.
The Media are a fundamental factor in transmitting to audiences and readers around the world the excitement and emotions of Athletics through their coverage of the sport. They are the eyes and ears of the millions who cannot personally attend the competitions, but rely on the Media to provide the images, results, interviews and analysis.
Athletics- a complex and universal sport
Athletics is a complex sport to cover even for expert journalists, with 47 events on the World Championships and Olympic Games programme, of which three or four are usually going on in different sectors of the stadium at the same time.
The formidable strength of Athletics, but also a challenge, is its universality: at the World Championships in Helsinki 2005, out of the 47 events, 21 countries won at least one gold medal and 40 countries won medals (gold, silver or bronze), and in Osaka 2007, 22 countries won at least one gold medal and 36 countries won medals.
As more and more athletes from different countries reached athletics excellence, it became evident that action was needed on the part of IAAF to help develop and foster Athletics culture in all its continental areas, especially those which did not boast a long tradition in our sport.
The IAAF Media Development Programme made its first steps in 1996, but was greatly expanded and intensified in the context of the Athletics’ World Plan, which recognised as one of its key focus areas the need to “improve the standards for press coverage of Athletics events”. A comprehensive educational programme for journalists was thus developed and gradually extended to all continents.
IAAF Media Development Activities
The full Media Development Project (MDP) programme now typically includes a two-day seminar, followed by three to five days of daily workshops, best held in conjunction with a major continental event to give practical exposure to participating journalists.
The Seminars include presentations on the following issues:
- IAAF and Athletics
- History of Athletics at that specific Championships/Games
- Main Rules in Athletics Officiating
- Athletics Journalism – Getting Behind the Story
- Statistical and Biographical Information – Putting Performances into Perspective
- Helping to Create the Stars of our Sport
- Developing a Champion – the Coach’s perspective
- Athletes and the Media – a Crucial Relationship (by a top athlete)
But the most effective aspect of the MDPs are the Daily Workshops, which allow participants to put into practice what they learned at the seminar and really help them improve their Athletics knowledge and reporting skills.
The workshops include two sessions of the duration of 1 hour each:
- Practical exercises with participating journalists
- Analysis of selected video footage from the World Championships
In the first part, participants are given daily assignments (such as compiling an athlete’s profile or interview, preparing an event preview or a round-up of the day’s events etc.) and then analysing their performance together.
The second part of the Workshops focuses on viewing and analysing footage of selected events (200m, 1500m, Long Jump and Discus Throw) from the IAAF World Championships in Athletics Osaka 2007.
Participants hear the comments of a coach specialised in each event - who will highlight the technical aspects important to better understand the event - while IAAF staff and lecturers help journalists revise competition rules and better pick out the elements of the competition that are essential to write a good report.
Another specific area of Media Education is the IAAF African Radio Project, conducted in cooperation with the BBC at IAAF World Championships and at selected IAAF and non-IAAF events. A small group of African radio journalists works alongside BBC Athletics specialists to produce live commentary, previews, daily round-ups, and interviews, gaining precious practical experience and giving listeners throughout the continent the possibility to enjoy high quality coverage of the event from an African angle.
Over 300 participants making a real difference
Over the last six years, well over 300 journalists have taken part in the various IAAF Media Development projects.
Their feedback and the way they have often managed to make a difference in the way Athletics is reported and appreciated back home, and even helped create a more trustful, positive relationship with their top athletes, have all encouraged IAAF to continue to develop this fundamental aspect of its diverse activities.
Athletics is a complex sport and its universality both an asset and a challenge. Helping the media worldwide to develop their knowledge and reporting skills is fundamental to ensure many more fans in every continent will have access to knowledgeable, vibrant coverage of their sport.
Anna Legnani for the IAAF
