Efforts made to assist foreign reporters covering Olympics

2008-07-17 23:47:12 [ Big Normal Small ]    　Comment

Special report:   2008 Olympic Games         

BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China is trying its best to facilitate foreign media's coverage of the Olympics, said Beijing Olympic Games' spokesman Guo Weimin here on Thursday.

In response to recent reports concerning worries on whether foreign media could cover news freely in China, Guo reiterated such reporters, as well as those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, were free in covering news and doing interviews during the Games once it was agreed by the people or organizations to be interviewed.

The regulation on reporting activities in China by foreign media during the Beijing Olympic Games and the preparatory period had been implemented for about a year, Guo said during the press conference. "Generally, we have received favorable feedback from the foreign media."

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) and other relevant departments had offered "as much assistance as possible" to foreign media. Efforts were made to help them import their equipment into China smoothly, he said.

So far, the authorities had approved 407 applications from television transmission companies and registered media for importing and using satellite devices. These included 52 satellite news operations.

The local authorities had also cooperated with foreign media inrequests to hire helicopters for shooting and setting up cameras in some popular tourists sites, including Tian'anmen Square, Guo said.

Beijing had learned from other Olympic hosts how to efficiently operate its three media centers for the Games, Guo said. Since starting operation on July 8, its centers had operated accordingly.

From this week, there would be two press conferences daily on average, in addition to pool interviews and cultural functions.

"We will try our best to serve all media and welcome them to give us advice and proposals," Guo said.

Senior leader: China to ensure media freedom during Olympics

Senior leader Li Changchun(center) inspects the 2008 Beijing International Media Center (BIMC) on Thursday, July 10, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)
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  BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Foreign journalists should complain formally if they have any problems in doing their jobs during the Beijing Olympic Games, senior Chinese leader Li Changchun said here on Thursday.

  While visiting the Beijing International Media Center (BIMC), which opened on Tuesday to serve more than 5,000 non-accredited reporters during the Games, he said officials would effectively implement regulations that ensured foreign journalists would be allowed the freedom to report.  

Foreign media heritage shooting procedure during Games to be simplified

  BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) said here on Wednesday it would further simplify the permit procedure for overseas media to shoot cultural sites, shortening the processing time from four days to one day.

The newly-simplified procedure will be put into practice from July 20 to Sept. 20. During the period, both accredited and non-accredited overseas media for the Olympics will enjoy the new procedure.

SACH noted the easier procedure would be used not only for the cultural heritage in Beijing and other co-host cities of the Games, but also in other cities around the country.  

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