Fairfax To Combine Resources In Athens 2004

7 July 2004

Fairfax To Combine Resources In Athens 2004 Summer Olympics For Comprehensive Coverage

Editorial and production resources across all of Fairfax’s publications in New Zealand and Australia, in print and online, have joined together to provide the most thorough, informative and entertaining Olympics coverage ever undertaken by Fairfax mastheads.

The Olympics coverage team consists of 34 people from Fairfax’s New Zealand and Australian operations. Four journalists and two photographers from Fairfax New Zealand will be led by Tony Smith, sports writer for The Press. They will be joined by 28 journalists, photographers, and editors and online video producers from Fairfax’s Australian operations who will be in Athens under the direction of Sam North, Managing Editor, Olympics Coverage.

For the first time ever, all Fairfax mastheads and online sites across New Zealand and Australia will have access to all copy and photography generated by the Olympics coverage team, ensuring that each publication and the stuff.co.nz, smh.com.au and theage.com.au websites can present to readers the very best Olympics reporting available.

“This is the most outstanding team we have ever fielded for a sporting event,” said Tony Smith. “Our readers in print and online will have the very best coverage available in New Zealand and Australia.”

Sam North added, “In the 2000 Sydney Games, Fairfax became known internationally for the quality and scope of our coverage. We are a leader in this area, and we are taking all our experience forward to Athens.”

Fairfax mastheads throughout New Zealand will run very late deadlines to accommodate late-breaking news and medal successes, providing the latest possible coverage for the morning papers.

In the lead up to the Olympics, inserted magazines and sections will be themed for the Games, including The Sunday Star-Times (August 8), The Dominion Post (August 6), The Press (August 9) and the Waikato Times (August 9).

New Zealand’s sole gold medal winner from the Sydney 2000 Games, Rob Waddell, will be writing an exclusive column from Athens exclusively for the Sunday Star-Times specially re-designed sports section. The Sunday News will feature its biggest sports section ever during the Games.

Given the time difference with Greece and the scheduling of events, much of the action will happen overnight. “This presents no problem for the Waikato Times,” said editor Bryce Johns. “As an afternoon paper hitting the streets at midday, we will be virtually the first newspaper in the country to report all the news and results.”

Website www.stuff.co.nz will also be constantly updating its comprehensive Olympic coverage so people can wake up and log on for the most up to date news available.

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Fairfax New Zealand Team for Athens:

Writers: Tony Smith (The Press, Christchurch – NZ team leader), Tracey Cooper (Waikato Times), Neil Reid (Sunday News) and Dylan Cleaver (Sunday Star-Times)

Photographers: Andrew Gorrie (Dominion Post) and Peter Meecham (The Press, Christchurch)

Fairfax Australia team for Athens:
Sam North (team leader, COS), Charlie Happell (Deputy, COS).

Age/SMH journalists: Greg Baum, Alex Brown, Michael Cowley, Peter FitzSimons, Jonathon Green, Richard Hinds, John Huxley, Len Johnson, Jacquelin Magnay, Roy Masters, Geoff McClure, Melissa Ryan, Caroline Wilson

Australian Financial Review journalist: Geoff Kitney

Regional journalist: Mitchell Murphy (Illawarra Mercury)

Photographers: Craig Golding, Vince Caligiuri, Steve Christo, Darren Pateman (Newcastle Herald) On-line: Ben Kimber, Hugh Martin, David McMillan

Technicians: Ian Beer, Jared Miller-Crispe, Justin Bell, Kevin Cross

ENDS

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