To prove how much audiences are still engaged, Radio Today is hosting the BBC World Cup Have Your Say today, Friday 25 June 2010 and the Cape Town Media Centre is still offering media transport and services until the final whistle.
The wonderful viral email It Does Not Matter, which swept through inboxes on Wednesday and Thursday, was a presentation of a poem, written by Rebecca Sehloho and harmonised with her colleague Anthony Prangley's proudly South African voice, and memorable images, to inspire the nation to look at all the positive that has resulted from the World Cup.
Martine Schaffer, MD of Homecoming Revolution said, "Anthony sent it to us on the morning after Bafana Bafana were eliminated. We realised the potential of this viral message and the strong uniting message that it had for South Africans. A few emails were sent out and within the space of an hour, we were receiving it back into our inbox. The creators had no idea of how quickly this message would spread and we are thrilled that they chose to associate it with the Homecoming Revolution.
"As a nation, we are seeing a growth in our identity with our soccer team, our country and our amazing achievements in hosting this World Cup," he says. "We have so much to celebrate and this succinct, emotional, visual message sums up how we are feeling. Proud."
"It is fantastic to see how the attitude has changed since the beginning of the World Cup. We have had so much negative publicity in the build up to the World Cup, including many of our South African citizens who really doubted South Africa's ability to be such fantastic hosts and certainly provide the logistical imperatives of the world's biggest event. This has all changed and the focus is on what a fantastic World Cup it is turning out to be - highlighting the massive problem of poverty but at the same time acknowledging the amazing amount of hope and inspirational people that make up South Africa," concludes Schaffer.
The Homecoming Revolution is an independent non-profit organisation aimed at reversing the skills shortage in South Africa. It encourages and assists South Africans around the world to return home.
View the original presentation on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW4nwsqgz8I.
Radio Today, the Johannesburg-based community radio station, will host the BBC's broadcast of World Cup Have Your Say today from 10-10.30am. It is a global discussion show in which soccer analysts step aside to enable soccer fans around the world to discuss all aspects of the game from predictions, review and analysis, referees, and of course, Vuvuzelas. Ros Atkins of the BBC will present the show, assisted by interns from Radio Today, which will give them valuable international experience.
"Radio Today and the BBC are inviting participation from a global audience as we continue to celebrate the momentous occasion of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa," said Dr Ivan May, the CEO of Radio Today.
Fans can join in the debate from around the world via www.worldhaveyoursay.com, Twitter (@BBC_WHYS) and Facebook (World Have Your Say).
The Cape Town Host City Media Centre still has shuttle places available for media representatives to visit the public viewing areas on 24/06, 29/06, 2/07, 3/07, 6/07, 7/07 and 11/07. The shuttle to Vygekraal Stadium and Bellville Velodrome and the OR Thambo and Swartklip Sports complexes leave at 3.20pm and 8pm on each date. Media members needing Cape Town Host City Fan Fest accreditation can get a media day pass at the Parade Street entrance.
