Schools Black Out competition attracts more than 100,000 votes

20 June 2005

A school competition designed to show the city’s support for the national rugby team is attracting masses of votes, says Emma Taurua, Christchurch City Council’s sports promotion team leader.

The Black Out banner competition runs until Friday (24 June). It involves schools painting banners and displaying them on school fences and front gates. People vote for their favoured banners on the websites of The Radio Network (Classic Hits and 91ZM) or by text messaging 9696 - enter#black#school name.

“We’re hoping to outdo the voting for Dancing with the Stars,” Ms Taurua says. “Over the weekend The Radio Network had to employ casual staff to clear the email votes on the Classic Hits website to avoid overloading the national computer system. By Friday, they’d taken around 100,000 votes, including email and text votes.”

The Black Out banner competition winner will be announced on 91ZM, Classic Hits and Newstalk ZB on Friday, 24 June.

“On Friday, we’d like every child in the city to arrive at school with their faces painted and in full Black Out theme,  we have some very special visitors booked who will be arriving at the winning school to present the prizes.” Ms Taurua says.

Along with TRN, the City Council’s Black Out banner competition is supported by Champions of the World and adidas. The five schools with the most votes are in to win a DVD player and the over all Black Out Banner winning school will collect a prize package for their school and students valued at $5000. Prizes include Champions of the World gift voucher for every student, $1000 worth of advertising on The Radio Network and Stand in Black gift packs courtesy of adidas.

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