OTI at the FIFA World Cup 2010

Technology Director Cesar Gerbasi (left) - a veteran of every FIFA World CupTM since 1974 - and Programme Director Mauricio

Broadcasting to a na­tion can be challenging enough, but broadcast­ing to an entire conti­nent (and beyond) – a region covering nearly a quarter of the 32 quali­fied FIFA World Cup™ nations – poses its own particular issues. “The challenge is always the same, to simultaneously satisfy big members and small members, qualified members and unqualified members,” explained Cesar Gerba­si, Technology Director of OTI. “It is a challenge to keep everyone satis­fied but we are making periodic enquiries to our members and, as far as we know, eve­rybody is happy.”

Organización de Televisión Iberoamericana strive to promote and aid TV networks in Latin America. “Within OTI we represent all the Latin American countries, in total around 20 nations. Our job is to help the bigger members to complement their own cover­age and to provide complete coverage for other members.” At the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, OTI is the sole rightsholder for all of South America with the exception of Brazil.

In order to ensure every OTI member receives the exact coverage they require a full range of services is provided. Coverage begins an hour and a half before each game with three simultaneous feeds, one of which is the EBIF Show and the others a combi­nation of OTI’s own mix with a heavier focus on their member nations, and continues right through to the completion of the press conferences.

On top of providing tailored match footage they also offer on-site services at their facility within the IBC, such as off-tube com­mentary booths and HD transmissions for members needing them. “We do a very important job for members who have no permanent facility in the IBC as we give them the chance to have unilateral services when we are not using the satellite for our own coverage, plus members with their own ENG crews can bring their material here to edit and transmit.”

With 11 colleagues in South Africa alongside him, including Pro­gramme Director Mauricio Simon, Cesar is working with a strong and qualified team – but none as experienced as himself, having worked at every FIFA World Cup™ since 1974.

As for the actual football there can be no complaints either, with Latin American nations prospering. “We are happy because we have five members qualified for the Round of 16, so this event has new meaning for us. In most of our countries football is very popular so people do not care about the time difference, the matches have been top of the daily and monthly ratings.”

Moving forward to 2014 and the FIFA World Cup™ returning to South America... “For us it will be more of the same, but, of course, we are happy for it to be in one of our countries and in cities where we are used to being. I’m sure the Brazilians will do a very good job.”