in bikes and broadcast
2009 finalist Ferran Lopez Margall secures New Media position for Dorna Sports
2008 finalist Tabatha Valls Halling reports on Formula One for TV3
Bridgestone is delighted to announce that Ferran Lopez Margall, one of the 2009 Bridgestone e- reporter finalists, has secured a position working for Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder for the Bridgestone-backed MotoGP World Championship.
Meanwhile, 2008 finalist Tabatha Valls Halling added to the list of e-reporter successes earlier this year when she began as a Formula One reporter for Spanish television station TV3.
Bridgestone e-reporter is an initiative that was originally launched in 2003 with the main aim of helping young, aspiring journalists develop careers in the media.
These latest appointments continue to demonstrate the high standard of Bridgestone e-reporters and the programme’s ability to help place entrants into high profile media jobs. Ferran, from Granollers near Barcelona, has officially become part of the ‘New Media’ team at Dorna Sports and started working for them in July of this year. It was just five months ago that Ferran entered the Bridgestone e-reporter contest, winning the chance to attend the Spanish Grand Prix to report on the GP2 Series for Bridgestone.
As a follower of both GP2 and MotoGP, Ferran’s enthusiasm for both championships and his status as an e-reporter finalist assisted him in achieving his goal of kick-starting a media career in motorsport. Ferran (aged 25) said, “For me, the Bridgestone e-reporter contest was an excellent opportunity to understand from the inside the complex and professional world of motorsport. When I submitted my entry I never thought how important this competition could be for me. Just a few months after covering the GP2 Series at Circuit de Catalunya I received two different job calls from the motorsport world; one being from Dorna Sports. I decided to live the MotoGP experience. After the amazing few months I have had, I can just say one thing; try it, it’s possible!”
Since 2003, the e-reporter competition has offered 45 finalists the opportunity to attend a race weekend to report on the Bridgestone-supported GP2 or MotoGP championships. In addition, more than 13 past e-reporter winners and finalists have now gained media work as a direct result of the initiative.
2008 e-reporter finalist, Tabatha Valls Halling from TV3, commented, “The Bridgestone e- reporter competition was a great opportunity for me to combine my journalistic studies with the motorsport world that I am passionate about. It was a really great way to get many contacts and break into this world.
The experience of being an e-reporter has been one of the best, and Bridgestone's competition gave me the chance to start a great journalistic career. Since then, I have had many doors opening in motorsport, something that wouldn't have been possible without my e-reporter experience.” Tabatha (aged 23), from Barcelona, attended the European Grand Prix last year to write race reports and Bridgestone e-reporter diary entries as part of the competition and has now become the second e-reporter to be successful in becoming a broadcast journalist in Formula One.
This follows on from 2008 e-reporter winner Guillaume Navarro securing a place on the F1 commentary team at RMC Sport radio, the top French radio channel for sport.
In 2009, 11 finalists were selected from across Europe to attend either a Formula One weekend to follow the GP2 Series, or a round of the FIM MotoGP World Championship. Currently there are three more finalists still to report on the GP2 Series for Bridgestone this season. For further information on Bridgestone e-reporter, or to read this year’s reports, visit: bridgestone.eu/e-reporter.
