On January 30, 2011, Kazakhstan will host the 7th Winter Asian Games.

Map of Kazakhstan and Sport Palace in Astana

International Games Broadcast Services (IGBS) - the 50/50 joint venture between HBS and IMG that delivered the Host Broadcast Operation of the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar - has signed a contract to implement the event-time broadcast deliverables for the upcoming Games in Kazakhstan. The contract, signed in accordance with the Olympic Committee of Asia, also involves Ssang Yong, the Korean IT and Timing Company, another partner involved in the much acclaimed implementation of the Doha Asian Games.

The Local Organizing Committee in Kazakhstan (AWAGOC) decided to hold the Games to capitalize on the advantages afforded by the country’s diverse climate and rich natural conditions, in two key Kazakh cities.

The area around ALMATY, in the South, is perfect for Alpine skiing, biathlon and short-track. 'Medeo', a high mountain skating rink, is currently under reconstruction for such events. Not far from this venue is the Shimbulak ski resort. In the foothills of Zailiyskiy, Alatau, a new ski-biathlon stadium is being built.

The ski area will thus be increased five-fold with Almaty airport also undergoing an extensive upgrade.

Other Asian Games venues are situated in the capital ASTANA, where modern stadia and sport complexes are busily being erected.

"The greatest challenge, says Francis Tellier, the CEO of IGBS, is going to be the short lead time for us to get prepared as the event takes place early in the New Year. But our team has already etched out its master plan and resources are being contracted as I speak."

Graham Fry, Steering Committee Member of IGBS, adds: "Everyone is truly excited by this project whereby our combined knowledge of working on winter sports over many years and in many parts of the world, will hopefully stand us in very good stead. The combined experiences of IMG and HBS have again married together perfectly to form a strong Host Broadcaster alliance and although the timeframe is quite short, we are confident of putting on a great show in Kazakhstan."

According to the near to final competition schedule, events are to be held in 12 separate sporting venues, with more than 2000 athletes from 26 Asian countries taking part in the Games.

A team of experts - including IMG’s Mike Wilmot, Dave Shield, Tony Gavin and Peter Angell, the HBS Head of Project, along with several other HBS veterans - are already hard at work, planning the next steps after an in-depth reconnaissance of the event venues this week.

The operational implementation of yet another exciting challenge has started for IGBS.

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August sees the start of the 3rd season for HBS as the Host Broadcaster of the French League 1 which has kicked off again successfully. With, in addition, this season, on behalf of the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the coverage of League 2, including the main match on Monday evening which is being produced as well by HBS France Production the dedicated “French League” HBS company.

HBS France Production and its Dream Team of Directors are again at work, delivering services that were implemented first in France last seasons and for some of them then expanded on further during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa where HBS was mandated by FIFA as its dedicated Host Broadcast organisation.

The vision of the Ligue de Football Professional meant that the dedicated mobile signal and web server deliverables - first devised and tested in 2008 / 2010 on home ground - were then implemented for the FIFA flagship event International broadcasters in South Africa, to world acclaim.

Work for the Ligue de Football Professionnel is running smoothly, supported by the dedicated HBS France Production core team that has been slightly reorganised with the nomination of Luc Antoine Charial as the new Project Director for HBS.

The new French football league season - the third for HBS as host broadcaster - kicked off on 7 August

The final whistle blew on the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ just a few moments ago and as it did HBS staff members in South Africa began to shake hands and trade smiles. For the third time HBS successfully delivered all 64 matches of a FIFA World Cup™ to an enthusiastic worldwide audience, thereby once more fulfilling its original mandate. The company was created eleven years ago with the very specific task of producing the television and radio signals for the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups™, a mission that was later extended to the 2010 and 2014 editions of the tournament.

For the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa, a big country with unique challenges, HBS implemented a highly service-oriented host broadcast on behalf of FIFA. This built on the experiences of 2002 and 2006 but was even more ambitious in the scope of what it provided to FIFA’s Media Rights Licensees (MRLs). With 30 to 32 cameras for each match, the biggest-ever team of FIFA TV ENG crews (41) to gather in-depth feature and colour coverage on teams and cities and dedicated new media coverage using the Mobile International Signal (MIS) concept, this was the most comprehensively covered FIFA World Cup™ to date, a fact that was reflected in both the quantity and the quality of the multi-feeds.

A 3D cameraman at work.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ was also the first major sports event to be covered in 3D, a project FIFA and Sony developed with HBS for 25 of the 64 matches. The 3D coverage provided HBS and FIFA another opportunity to make broadcast history, as did the introduction of multi-feeds and Dolby surround sound in 2002 or those of full HD 16/9 coverage and tapeless workflows in 2006, and as in those past instances, HBS and FIFA were up to the challenge. The 3D coverage of the tournament has been universally praised and has propelled host broadcasting into a new dimension -- the third one.

But although the quality of the footage and the groundbreaking 3D tend to draw most of the attention, these were in some sense just the twin tips of the iceberg and a great many more innovations and refinements were taking place offscreen. The now fully-HD FIFA MAX Server, the new Audio Server for radio MRLs and the SmartJog file transfer system were just some of the many services which were offered to -- and widely used by -- MRLs. The immense majority of broadcasters have reported a near-flawless experience working with these various technologies to take their own broadcasts to new heights.

From the Opening Ceremony to the Final,
HBS covered every angle of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

Looking back on the past four years' work, HBS CEO Francis Tellier expressed his great satisfaction with the way things unfolded. "We accomplished the mission," he said tonight after the Final. "It was not always easy, but in the end our careful planning paid off. I want to extend my sincere thanks to FIFA, especially FIFA TV Director Niclas Ericson, the LOC and all 2,600 people who worked on this project for HBS, as well as all HBS service providers. Together we have achieved a host broadcast of unprecedented quality and we can all be very proud of ourselves."

For the interns working at the IBC and the ten FIFA World Cup™ venues the culmination of the event can be viewed as a beginning not an end. Hired by HBS, on behalf of FIFA TV, each of the students completing their internship receive a certificate of completion as well as educational credits that will give them a large advantage when applying for future employment.

A vital part of the joint FIFA-HBS Broadcast Legacy Programme, the internships have offered valuable experience to the students but they themselves have also played a crucial role in the success of the operation at the IBC and each of the venues.

"To us this programme is very important," explained HBS CEO Francis Tellier. "It gives the students a chance to work for an international organisation, alongside international colleagues, but it is not just about learning technical skills but also teaching life skills."

"This is not the first time we have done this kind of project, we carried out similar programmes in France, South Korea & Japan and Germany, but on this occasion we took it much further," continued Francis. "We have gone the extra mile by accrediting the qualification with the Media, Advertising, Publishing, Printing and Packaging - Sector Education Training Authority (MAPPP-SETA). The students have been formally assessed and will receive credit, while the certificate testifies our gratitude to them for their work."

Interns based at the Johannesburg venues (Ellis Park, the IBC and Soccer City)
collected their certificates during an award ceremony held at the IBC on 5 July

"Post-World Cup the broadcast training company Feline Technology will have a database of the interns, so in the future when they are asked to fill a position our interns will be at the top of their list."

Each intern went through a rigorous selection process followed by a series of broadcast workshops before beginning their tenure with HBS. "The whole process takes about two years," stated Training Manager Tania Pellegrini. "We begin by visiting universities in each host city looking for those that offer a variety of faculties and departments, like IT and Media, which would provide students who would benefit from this project."

"Those who have really applied themselves will take away certain skills that they cannot learn in university, things like the importance of communication and working in a team. It is an experience that will hopefully open doors for them."

Over the past fortnight a total of 330 interns have received their certificate of completion in ceremonies that have been moments of pride for both themselves and HBS. "What we have been doing with the Intern Certificate Ceremonies is congratulating them on completing the entire two-year programme," continued Tania. "For me it is great to actually see them blossom. In many cases it is a different person I see now compared to the person I saw in training eight months ago."

For the interns themselves it has been an invaluable experience. "It has been a once in a lifetime opportunity and it is great to be a part of Africa’s first World Cup", explained Nonkululeko Kubeka, who has been working in the Broadcast Information Office at the IBC. "I have made so many friends and made so many connections and as I will be one of only a handful of people to get the qualification it will give me a real edge."

"At first when we began the application process and considered the magnitude of the company it seemed like it would be impossible to be selected," added Chimeloane Mathenjwa, who spent his internship on the Construction Help Desk. "Just to be considered felt like an achievement, but now I have gained positive business experience as well as enjoying good future prospects."

At the invitation of FIFA, some 120 journalists visited the IBC on 21 May. During a three hour long event, the attendees were given an extensive tour of facilities and listened to detailed explanations about the role of the IBC in the broadcast of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Four major stops were made during the tour, which started with a visit of the Aggreko Generator Park where both Rupert Soames, CEO of Aggreko, and Cyril Ramaphosa of the Shanduka Group, provided details of the overall power set-up and their respective companies' role in providing this.

The tour continued with a visit of the IT Command Centre (ITCC) and the floor was given to Phumlani Moholi, Chief IT & T Officer of the LOC and Dick Wiles CEO of Match IT, who addressed the role of the overall IT infrastructure.

On the African Plaza, which centres several of the main services and facilities in Hall 6 of the IBC, Niclas Ericson, Director of FIFA TV, informed attendees about FIFA's policy for making the exposure of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ unprecedented in Africa, its partnership with the AUB (African Union of Broadcasters), FIFA broadcast training programmes in Africa which have delivered Legacy Weeks in more than ten countries already, and the FIFA/AUB Production Centre offering, for the first time, an IBC studio to African broadcasters.

The delegation then stopped outside the Master Control Room (MCR), the hub of broadcast operations at the event, where both Niclas Ericson and Francis Tellier, CEO of HBS, underlined the importance of the MCR and highlighted the major new developments in the production plan for the event, including the Mobile Match Feed and 3D coverage of 25 matches.

Proceedings concluded with an open Q&A session which was attended by Jerome Valcke, FIFA Secretary General, Danny Jordaan, CEO of the Local Organising Committee, General Siphiwe Nyanda, Minister of Communications, and Amos Masondo, Mayor of Johannesburg.

Niclas Ericson, Director of FIFA TV, addressing attendees on the African Plaza

From left to right, Danny Jordaan, CEO of the Local Organising Committee, Jerome Valcke, FIFA Secretary General, Amos Masondo, Mayor of Johannesburg and General Siphiwe Nyanda, Minister of Communications answering questions at the close of the tour

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With the French Ligue 1 season concluding over the weekend, HBS celebrated the end of its second season as host broadcaster of French top-flight football and began working on its third. The first two seasons of the four-year agreement with the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) saw HBS introduce well-received innovations such as the Mobile International Signal (MIS) and a searchable clip database while building upon the existing high-quality broadcast plan. HBS produced the (multilateral) World Feed as well as the proprietary (unilateral) feed for French broadcasters, both of which have been highly praised.

Project Director François-Charles Bideaux will be leaving HBS to return to Canal+, where he will become Director of Sports Production. Francis Tellier expressed his gratitude to François-Charles, who has played a major role in helping HBS rapidly and successfully implement a production plan and operational procedures. The tremendous achievements of the past two years would not have been possible without him and the dedication of his team. HBS wishes him all the best in his new role and looks forward to working with him again very shortly, as he is one of the seven "Dream Team" directors for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ next month, and will direct both the Opening and Final matches in Johannesburg Soccer City.

Francis Tellier also recognised HBS' excellent working relationship with the LFP, which has only grown stronger in the past two years, as shown by the LFP's choice to have HBS produce its second division "match of the week" starting next season. HBS is proud to be the LFP's technical partner for existing and developing projects and gratefully acknowledges the Ligue's invaluable support for innovation, such as 3D broadcasting, tested by HBS on French Ligue matches ahead of its production at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

HBS France Production has now reached a comfortable cruising speed and will be able to make some adjustments to its operations ahead of the 2010-2011 Ligue 1 season, which kicks off on 7 August. Further details will be available on this website shortly.

Please visit the Ligue de Football Professionnel's website for more information on Ligue 1 football.

Today, 10 May, marked the first arrival of Media Rights Licensees (MRLs) at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in Johannesburg.

Broadcasters from ARD-ZDF, TV Azteca, TV Bandeirantes, the BBC, TV Globo, SBS International and Sky PerfecTV all began the process of setting up their unilateral operations at the IBC. A further nine MRLs are scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Members of the HBS Construction Help Desk were on hand to assist broadcasters with the smooth handover and inspection of premises whilst the HBS Booking Office and HBS Broadcast Information Office (BIO) officially opened this morning to assist MRLs with enquiries about booked services and IBC facilities.

The HBS Booking team marked the opening of their IBC office with a group photograph (below).

As the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ approaches more and more HBS staff members have been relocating to South Africa to prepare for the operational period. In order for staff to be fully prepared for the complexities of the project each and every employee is required to attend a comprehensive orientation session. The orientation sessions are conducted by HBS Training Senior Manager Tania Pellegrini and include detailed explanations of event-time procedures as well as information about HBS' structure and policies and tips about life in South Africa during the event.

The third session, held at the Astro Tech Conference Centre in Parktown, was an especially important one for HBS as the participants included the management staff of each of the tournament's ten venues who are now based at their respective venues and ready to train their own staff on-site. These staff members include the Broadcast Venue Managers (BVMs), the backbone of broadcast operations at each venue, as well as the Venue Technical Managers (VTMs) and the Venue Logistics Managers (VLMs). They are the main on-site contact points for FIFA and the LOC from now until the end of the FIFA World Cup™; as such it is particularly vital that they be well informed.

After the orientation session the group was joined by the remainder of the HBS team in South Africa as well as HBS CEO Francis Tellier, who gave a welcome speech. Everyone was then treated to an African tribal show featuring traditional dance routines of the Shangaan, Xhosa and Zulu tribes.

HBS currently has approximately 140 staff members on the ground in South Africa. This number is growing daily and will swell to more than 2,500 by the Opening Match on 11 June.

On 10 November, the Sports Event Management Conference in London brought together key players from the international sports event management industry. Insightful presentations from world class speakers with in-depth event experience ensured unparalleled knowledge-sharing and learning opportunities for all present.

Francis Tellier, CEO of HBS Group, spoke about host broadcasting being a job for specialists and stressed the dire consequences of a wrong decision which go way beyond simply having to deal with poor TV coverage of an event.

Using a case study that struck home for many present, he pinpointed how numerous – apparently insignificant – mistakes of appreciation over a number of months and/or years prior to event implementation are a true recipe for disaster, not only for the event itself but for the Federation or League or event owner that will have to manage for decades the marketing of a product that has lost a great deal of its overall appeal.

“The Host Broadcaster needs to be present right from the very start, often acting as a ”white-label” expert organisation, keeping the best interest of the event in mind at all times,” said Francis Tellier. “Specifications need to be discussed as soon as the host country is selected, ongoing working relationships established with the event owner, with the host country authorities, with the Organising Committee, with all the customers (Media Rights Licensees, Mobile Network Operators, Infotainment operators to name but a few), coordination groups, workshops and World Broadcaster Meetings organized, services and facilities masterminded for a broadcast landscape that is more diverse than ever before.

Top sport events need a turnkey solution designed by an overall architect taking full responsibility. Trying to please “domestic broadcasters” who are over-stretched to provide resources, splitting responsibilities between several providers, hiring old-timers – builders and carpenters of previous events – without the architect is hazardous at the best. All these dangers were clearly understood by FIFA and the IOC decades ago."

Major changes for any upcoming flagship event are no longer simply a question of “adding more” but of providing “diversified broadcast content, better usage of services and facilities, enhanced user-friendly capacity for logging, storage and archiving purposes."

Host broadcasting is about addressing commitments, sharing expert advice, contributing to a Federation or League’s knowledge management process so as to deliver a “Best Ever” in the host country and to leave a lasting (and workable) legacy for years to come.