Olympic Games Beijing 2008

“For several years now NBC has meticulously planned all the details for its coverage of the many sports events at the Summer Olympics in China.

But with the Games only 19 days away, many at the network are concerned about how they will be permitted to cover any unscheduled events, like political protests or government crackdowns — or whether the Chinese government will allow them to cover such things at all.

One of the most common hypothetical questions NBC officials have bandied about involves the opening ceremonies on Aug. 8.

Hundreds of athletes will parade into a stadium in front of world leaders, including President Bush, and a huge global television audience. If an athlete holds a protest sign or waves a Tibetan flag, how will the Chinese hosts react? Will the television networks show the scene? How will the Chinese handle the media for the rest of the Games?

The stakes are high for both the network, which paid $900 million for broadcast rights for the Olympics, and the reputation of NBC News. If it covers any controversies aggressively, it risks drawing the ire of the Chinese and interfering with coverage of sports events. But if it shies from coverage of any protests, NBC risks being criticized in the West for kowtowing to China — particularly since its corporate parent, General Electric, is aggressively expanding its investments in China.

One thing is for sure, vows Steve Capus, the president of NBC’s news division: “If there’s news, we’re going to cover it.”

NBC and other broadcasters have been at odds with Chinese authorities over what, where and when they will be allowed to film. During the last seven years, broadcasters had been assured that they would receive the same freedoms they have had at previous Olympics, but in the last few months, those promises have been contradicted by strict visa rules, lengthy application processes and worries about censorship.

Seeking to defuse growing tension, network executives met face to face two weeks ago with representatives of the International Olympic Committee and Chinese officials. At an eight-hour meeting in the International Broadcast Center in Beijing, the Chinese organizing committee relented slightly, saying that broadcasters like NBC that have paid for rights to the Olympic Games may transmit live from Tiananmen Square — but for only six hours a day, from 6 to 10 a.m. and 9 to 11 p.m.

The broadcasters, which include the BBC in Britain, the CBC in Canada, the Seven Network in Australia and SABC in South Africa, unanimously pressed for further access, according to minutes of the meeting obtained by The New York Times. According to two people at the meeting, when the Beijing vice mayor, Cao Fuchao, remarked that his country’s authorities would not reverse their decision to restrict access, Alex Gilady, an I.O.C. commissioner and NBC vice president, pointed his finger and said: “We still have one month to go. We will pursue this to the end.”

But time is not on the broadcasters’ side. Nineteen days from now, when the torch is lighted in Beijing, journalists and viewers could be facing the most restrictive environment for an Olympics in modern times.

At the meeting, on July 9, after months of uncertainty, Chinese officials said that all applications for live broadcasting would be approved throughout Beijing and the other cities where Olympic competitions were planned. Furthermore, the committee said that all broadcasters could tape reports from Tiananmen Square.

But the broadcasters say they will not believe it until they see it. One I.O.C. commissioner, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid further complicating the situation, said matter-of-factly that Chinese officials had “put a tourniquet” on the Olympics.

“Had the I.O.C., and those vested with the decision to award the host city contract, known seven years ago that there would be severe restrictions on people being able to enter China simply to watch the Olympics, or that live broadcasting from Tiananmen Square would essentially be banned, or that reporters would be corralled at the whim of local security, then I seriously doubt whether Beijing would have been awarded the Olympics,” the commissioner said.

The contentious negotiations are particularly perilous for NBC, part of NBC Universal, which is trying to produce 3,600 hours of coverage. The company paid a record amount for the broadcast rights, and it expects to generate $1 billion in advertising revenue. The coverage will be produced by NBC Sports under the direction of Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics.

But the network could find itself covering news outside the track or swimming pools if there are political protests or another government crackdown. Mr. Capus of NBC acknowledged that these Games were arguably the most newsworthy Olympics in a generation, since they have put a spotlight on China’s environmental problems and human-rights abuses.

He was diplomatic about the recent negotiations. “We are encouraged by the progress that we saw last week, and the potential for the cooperation that has been pledged,” Mr. Capus said.

NBC has good reason to cross its fingers. Its owner, GE, has had its sales in China grow rapidly this decade, to a projected $10 billion by 2010, from around $1 billion in 2000. The company is involved in more than 300 projects related to these Games, including technology for the new National Stadium. Jeffrey R. Immelt, the chief executive of G.E., has said the Olympics will create “decades of good will in China.”

Source: NY Times

Throughout the world, the olympic torch is escorted by some weird people.

Blue tracksuits, Beijing 2008 logos, cap, black sunglasses, headphone, the whole world has seen these people around the flame and the runners. They are called the Men in Blue. Who are they? They are members of the Chinese paramilitary forces. There strength is by far superior of anybody around the torch. They decide where the torch goes, they protect it and they give orders to the local police of each country. How come that the Chinese authorities dictate their orders on foreign soil? Tibetan flags are forbidden and most of the people are unable to see the flame. Olympic games, political and economical games.

On July 13th 2001, Beijing was awarded by the IOC, the International Olympic Committee, the 2008 Olympic games. For the first time, they will be staged in China, a very particular country.

During the 112th IOC session held in Moscow, one of the last of, then IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, the Chinese capital Beijing was awarded the organization of the 29th summer Olympic Games. Beijing which had already lost to Sydney by 2 votes for the 2000 games was selected after the 2nd round, winning 56 votes against 22 for Toronto, 18 for Paris and 9 for Istanbul. Some said that the French and Canadian bids were superior to the Chinese one. But the IOC president was eager to see China play host to the Olympics. The Beijing Games will be staged from August 8th-24th, with the starting point being the opening ceremony which will start on 8.08 at 8h08min08sec. 8 is the lucky number in the Chinese culture and around Asia. These games should, as quoted by now IOC’s president, J.Rogge “be excellent games” and “leave a unique heritage to China and to sports”.

Next to the 10500 athletes, 303 gold medals, 18000 media, the Beijing games are first a strategic, political, economical, diplomatic and financial stakes. The world will watch the almighty communist party for 2 weeks. The games are an unbelievable opportunity to show the world what China has become and the party knows it better than everyone else. No one should talk about human rights or Tibet, the water should be clean, the sky blue, people friendly and polite, China must rule…the perfect postcard. “Beijing, one world, one dream” that is the games motto. So let’s start dreaming.

Sports: from dream to reality.

24-08-08: medals count, for the first time, China beats the US in the medals final count. Here is the way the communist party wants the games to be. China is the most ancient civilization, being more than 4500 years old. After so many years under foreign regimes, it is time for that country to regain its leadership. The whole country will be behind its athletes for national greatness. There is no way in supporting the Japanese or any more glamorous team. The objective of the Chinese Olympic team is double: Being represented in every competition and to defeat the USA in the number of medals.

1 party, 1 China, several opponents.

The autonomous region of Xinjiang, the Muslim part of China is today’s Beijing target. The party wants to increase its power in this non Han region, the Hans being the main inhabitants of China. Hence, several terrorists’ attacks have been prevented this past week. One of them was to be on a China Southwest Airline connection between Beijing and Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. The terrorists groups are said to have links with Al Qaeda. Fact or fiction from the Chinese government? None of this information has been confirmed so far. Is the government trying to start a terror policy thanks to the controlled media? Anyway, it seems clear that the party has been controlling the Xinjiang for more than 50 years.

China: Under construction

Beijing spent a lot of money to become a 21st century capital and to get in Olympic shape. 40 billions dollars were spent for the construction of stadiums, each one being more extravagant than the other…the bird nest, the cube. The city gave 25 billions dollars to modernize and create urban and environmental projects. The number of metro line has tripled, the new airport terminal has opened, and the old red taxis have been replaced by brand new Hyundai with AC. The growth rate is up and the GNP has doubled over the last seven years, up to $8000. The industrial machine, which China is, raises some doubt on environment. The good news is that the Beijing Olympics tend to be an environmental model for the country and future events such as the 2010 Shanghai world expo. Are the days when the BOBICO, before the IOC examination, did repaint the greyish Beijing grass greener over? Will athletes be able to perform in spite of the pollution? Will missiles be launched to get rid of the clouds? Will the environmental rules be respected, as the world expects it during these games and after? Many athletes have their answer. Olympic champion, Haile Gebresselassie decided not to run the marathon due to respiratory risks due to the pollution.

Winning, doping

“There is only room for number 1.” We are far from Coubertin’s ”the important is to participate”. Doping is and will be very present for the years to come. We have discovered the BALCO story and we know that the old Communist bloc had very particular supplements. The Beijing games will try to be clean. “Beijing, one world, one dream”. I am sure that some athletes will do everything they can to pursue their Olympic dream, including the wrong thing.