The Nelson Mandela Bay International Music Festival Saga Continues
www.MyPE.co.za: This
afternoon it was the turn of the ‘local media’ to be addressed by the
organiser of the Nelson Mandela Bay International Music Festival
(NMBIMF), Dompas MD, Wandile Yani.
The press conference eventually got underway almost an hour later than
the scheduled start time.
Addressing tired, timeous and hungry ‘local media’, Wandile Yani
remarked that the NMBIMF was the “… biggest thing that has ever
happened in Port Elizabeth.” and that the NMBIMF was an opportunity to;
“… do beautiful things in Port Elizabeth”.
Citing massive support from National and International media, Yani
instructed local media to now; “… support the NMBIMF fully” and
ensure that the concert was an unqualified success.
When asked why Dompas were only now paying attention to the local
media,
Yani laid the blame firmly at the feet of the local Nelson Mandela Bay Metros communications
department for not informing the local media in a proper manner.
Asked to quantify the benefit to the Metro from the NMBIMF, Yani
deffered to Metro
Spokesman, Kupido Baron who said; “An event like this has the
possibility of creating great tourism and job opportunities,” and that
Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism would be better able to quantify the tourism
benefit to the city.
Like a plant that needs chlorophyll to grow, Yani compared local media
as the chlorophyll that the NMBIMF needs to grow saying; “We are going
to host the best festival that Port Elizabeth has ever seen.” In a
concession towards hard working local scribes Yani also said; “We
probably underestimated the approach of local media.”
Pressed for the number of tickets sold to date, Yani indicated that he
was not interested in knowing the amount as; “Our audience like last
minute things.” Yani added that tickets will also be sold at the door
on each of the days, the price would not drop at all and that his
considered estimate for the number of people who will attend each day
is 15 000 (i.e. a total ticket sales figure of 45 000 over three days).
All monetary questions were reffered to Municipal Spokesman, Kupido
Baron who could only confirm the R2 Million in sponsorship from the
Metro.
Editorial Comment:
I find myself caught between a rock and a hard place with the Nelson
Mandela Bay International Music Festival (NMBIMF).
On the one hand I desperately want the NMBIMF to be an unqualified
success and on the other I do not remain convinced that the NMBIMF will
bring the great tourism and job opportunities promised.
IF, 45 000
tickets are sold AND 5% are to out of town people, THEN it
will still be a success, as per my estimation in this
article: Only ONE Ticket left for Nelson Mandela Bay
International Music Festival
by bringing in 13.5 Million in direct investment.
I feel uncomfortable with the statement that the Communications
Department at the Metro did not ‘handle’ the local media properly.
Coupled with the inference that the approach of the local media was in
some way unpatriotic or wrong as National Media were playing ball makes
me want to jump out of my chair and cry FOUL. Good manners dictate that
you do not diss the Lady or Man of the house on his or her homeground.
Or, as my
sainted Mother always says; “You catch more bees with honey than with
vinegar!”
The ‘honey’ did come out later with promises from Dompas that the local
scribes would be treated like VIP’s with their own chill lounge,
chauffered rides to the stadium and enough food and drink to sink a
battleship at the concerts.
Kinda arrogant is the way that I would put the ‘royal command’ to
publicise the event. If exposure on MyPE is any measure of success for
the Metro, Dompas, Port Elizabeth or the NMBIMF then the four articles
already written on MyPE have contributed at least R40 000.00 worth of
exposure to the event - real cheap publicity when you consider the
rewards on offer.
To say that the Metro Communications Deprtment is at fault for not
informing local media properly is a grave mistake - it is my experience
that event organisers who get money from the Metro have to ensure that
they promote and publicise their events with that money and NOT expect
the Metro to go the extra mile and use the ratepayer
funded Communications Department as a ‘private public
relations’ firm. The
Splash Festival organisers, The Summer Festival Organisers, the Ocean
Racing Series organisers ALL employ qualified LOCAL Public Relations
firms to handle their media and press releases, so why did
Dompas not
do the same?
The refusal to speak about money or the number of tickets sold to date
is just plain insulting to every citizen in the Metro.
As to the massive support from International and National media I can
only point you, dear reader, to the INTERNET SCOREBOARD, commonly known
as Google. At the time of writing, a search for “Nelson Mandela Bay
International Music Festival” on Google.com shows show 602
results and
MyPE is the FIRST and SECOND result (Click on the + sign next to the
second result to see supplementary results on MyPE). Not ONLY that,
MyPE
Articles also features as the SIXTH, SEVENTH and EIGHTH results. Not
too KAK for local media methinks! Click here to see the latest Google
Results.
Just as a plant needs chlorophyll to grow it can also survive, for a
short time, on fertiliser only!
IF Dompas had a web site things would be a lot easier for local,
international and national media to get hold of the right
people to speak to and help
promote the event.
I so hope that I am wrong about this and so desperately want to see a
magnificent event on the 18, 19 and 20 December. Please do not let Port
Elizabeth down, Dompas!
Related Links:
Nelson Mandela Bay International Music
Festival | Only ONE Ticket left
for Nelson Mandela Bay International Music Festival | Images | Metro Concert Sponsorships a Recipe for
Disaster | Have your say in the FORUM.
Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation
Go to:MyPE.co.za