CONTEXT
Pope Benedict XVI’s first visit to Africa was one of the most logistically challenging and editorially interesting
visits of his papacy so far. In addition to the many critical church issues to be addressed by the Pontiff, this visit
to Cameroon, and his subsequent trip to Angola, were to touch on the main social and political themes concerning Africa: from the spread of AIDS and the use of condoms to the threats faced by the continent at this time of financial unease and economic contraction worldwide.
LOCATION
Eurovision was the only provider of broadcast services to cover this event, owing to the high costs and myriad
challenges of such an operation, In Cameroon, the joint operation between Euroradio and Eurovision was set
up in the ballroom of the Yaoundé Hilton Hotel. Broadcasters worked in a comfortable environment and made
use of the spacious workspace cabins, with access to a direct pool feed of host broadcaster and Vatican Television material. They also had open Internet and telephone access, as well as the usual standup and play-out facilities.
In Luanda, Eurovision faced a number of logistical challenges: the city is one of the world’s worst traffic night-
mares and Eurovision needed to find a suitable location that would be close enough to the Vatican Press Center
established at the official Government Press Offices and the Hotel Tropico where the traveling Vatican media
was lodged. The hotel itself could not offer the required facilities on the dates needed and the Centro de
Imprensa had no space. Eurovision compromised by setting up at the nearby Universidad Catolica, a pre-primary and primary school.
The challenge was huge as it was not a comfortable hotel setting: Eurovision had a big open space and had to gather school desks to create work stations but with no dividers, there was no air-conditioning and the temperature often reached 36 C degrees combined with 200% humidity. But Eurovision provided an uninterrupted power supply having hired a 45KVA generator, access to internet, and a wonderful terrace with a stunning Luanda backdrop for live stand-ups, as well as access to a continuous Host Broadcaster signal that covered every moment of Benedict XVI’s stay in Angola. Eurovision established a liaison with TPA, the national Angolan broadcaster and, in cooperation, planned for the provision of signal by leasing an appropriate space capacity for the duration of the event. The one unplanned variable was that for three evenings the floors and hallways of the University were invaded by pilgrims from the rural areas who slept on mattresses scattered everywhere except the room where we set up!
OPERATION
> Operation was dvc pro / dvcam / digibeta / sx / sp
> Three outgoing paths
> One set-up
> Cabled, unequipped workspaces available to broadcasters
RESULTS
Broadcasters were once again able to rely on Eurovision for the standard of service they are used to, freeing up their crews to film stories that put this important visit into context and put Africa back on the news map at a time when the media’s preoccupation with first-world hardships have taken centre stage.
The visit to Cameroon concentrated on the working document for the Synod for Africa to be held in Rome in October. That event will be covered by our MediaHouse Rome office, making full use of our prime position just steps away from St Peter’s Square and our direct video-link to Vatican Television. At the Synod for Africa, the bishops will discuss the church’s role in the continent going forward under the slogan,“The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace”.
In Angola, the satellite traffic was higher than expected; there were extra bookings from broadcasters who had not initially expressed interest in this operation. The Holy Father’s visit to Luanda was also an occasion to get Western broadcasters to cover African stories ranging from AIDS to the still positive economic growth.
“I think that the key to offering this kind of comprehensive service, even in the most challenging circumstances, stems from our ability to mediate between the many different television cultures we find. Nobody knows better than Eurovision what broadcasters require. It is really a process of constant and sometimes tiring negotiation to bend a local situation to resemble what our members expect. Eurovision’s outstanding partnerships and relationships made this momentous occasion a great news experiences for broadcasters around the world.”
— Sean Salsarola, Producer in Cameroon“I found Angola logistically challenging. The country still does not have reliable electricity or reliable telephone lines and has a very unstable broadband network. The city is crowded, dirty and chaotic, and it took a lot of work to make things come together. It was consoling that the Angolan people are easy going and joyful. I worked with a fantastic, non-complaining crew. I agree with Sean Salsarola that the great abilities of Eurovision and its team of producers lie in their knowledge of different broadcasters’ requirements – both technical and editorial – and our ability to adjust services to almost instantly accommodate different needs. The most important thing is that all broadcasters, TV and radio, who worked with Eurovision in Luanda, and in Yaoundé, were satisfied with our services.”
— Elena Caputo, Producer in Angola
