News organization members gave the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games a good report
yesterday at the ongoing 2007 World Broadcasters' Briefing.
Scene of the
meeting
Nearly 120 representatives of rights-holding broadcasters
worldwide attended the two-day event that began yesterday in
Beijing. It is the third such meeting and last before the Games
begins.
"The Chinese government committed itself a long time ago to
media working in China as freely as in other countries, in
accordance with IOC and international practices. I think they are
working well at the moment," Anthony Edgar, head of Olympic Games
Media Operations for the International Olympic Committee, said.
The Organizing Committee for the Beijing Olympic Games (BOCOG)
has implemented the Regulations on Reporting Activities in China by
Foreign Journalists during the Beijing Olympic Games and the
Preparatory Period. Based on these rules, it also issued the
Service Guide for Foreign Media Coverage of the Beijing Olympic
Games and the Preparatory Period.
"We have had a wonderful partnership with BOCOG. It has been
incredibly supportive and helpful to us," said David Neal,
executive vice-president of the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC). It is a rights-holding broadcaster for the Olympics and is
scheduled to send its biggest team ever.
"One of the things is being able to put a camera in a
helicopter," Neal said yesterday in an interview on the sidelines
of the meeting. Despite security considerations, BOCOG would allow
NBC to film from a helicopter, Neal said.
Also yesterday, BOCOG highlighted the convenience now enjoyed by
foreign reporters coming to Beijing to cover the Olympics. It
touted its "One-Stop" service to assist visa applications, set up
interviews, open bank accounts, make driving license applications
and find accommodation in Beijing.
Since the facility came into service on July 1 at the Beijing
Olympic Media Center, it has provided services for over 30 media
organizations.
(China Daily September 28, 2007)
