World Cup FRANCE 98 – Press Releases

21 March 1996

Paris to host the International Press Centre for FRANCE 98

The next World Cup will be innovating in the facilities that it will be offering the 8 to 10,000 accredited journalists who will be covering the biggest media event of the end of the century.

Generally, the press and the broadcast media work at separate premises, but in 1998 an International Press Centre will focus all facilities for the world’s TV, radio, press and photographers in a single site.

The French Organising Committee and TVRS 98, host broadcaster for the World Cup, have, in agreement with FIFA and the International Radio and Television Consortium, accepted the offer made by Mr Jean Tiberi, Mayor of Paris, to locate the International Press Centre at the Parc des Expositions, an exhibition complex, at Porte de Versailles in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. Covering a total of 28,000 m2 (over 300,000 square ft), the International Press Centre will, from June 1 to July 12 1998, offer journalists and technicians all the space and facilities they need, round-the-clock, to do their job. This will make it a hub for the whole of the world’s media operations.

The centre will include an area that will be shared by all types of media (3,700 m2 for reception, administration, catering and shops). This centre will house all the TVRS 98 technical installations, responsible for the radio and TV coverage of the event for authorised media organisations. A further 19,000 m2 will be earmarked for studios and control rooms needed by the 150 radio stations and 50 television channels that will be covering the event and that will have a permanent staff of 2,500 people. It is here that the television pictures from all the stadiums will converge before being beamed out to the world.

Newspaper and press agency journalists will be able to use 5,000 m2 of state-of-the-art installations (600-seater press room, telecommunications facilities, viewing room, computer data bank, etc.) and the opportunity to use private lounges. In addition to this press centre, press rooms will be located at each of the stadiums.

With large parking facilities, the International Media Centre will also offer all the benefits of the Paris public transport network. Its prime geographical location will allow journalists to get to airports and railway stations while enjoying all the advantages of the capital city, more than ever at the heart of the event.