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The Chinese authorities have banned round-the-clock broadcasts from Tiananmen Square during the Olympics.
Beijing Games organisers yesterday cited fears of overcrowding as they told international broadcasters that they could set up live positions only between 6am and 10am and 9pm and 11pm local time because of competing demands for the world's largest urban square from tourists, heads of state and other VIPs.
The restrictions mean that the BBC's stock-in-trade live interview with its correspondent will be missing from primetime news programmes. The windows of permitted broadcasts exclude the 6 O'Clock News and News at Ten. BBC chiefs are said to be fuming after two years of “frustrating” negotiations with Chinese Olympic organisers resulted in a watered-down deal that limits the movement of broadcasters around Beijing.
Executives from NBC, which paid $800million (£400million) for the US rights to the Games, have complained of excessive bureaucracy that requires scores of permits for a single satellite vehicle. The BBC paid millions of pounds for its share of rights and is sending more staff than to any previous Games.
Sources said that the demands of Beijing officials would stifle coverage of the Olympics, which are being called the “Killjoy Games” because of over-zealous policing. About 100,000 anti-terrorism officers will be deployed during the 16-day event. Communist Party officials are sensitive about Tiananmen Square being used as a backdrop by Western broadcasters after the 1989 student protests in which hundreds of people were killed by troops.
Under the host city agreement with the International Olympic Committee, Beijing must allow unfettered access for foreign media. Chinese officials, who have argued that protests outside the sports venues should not concern broadcasters, face accusations of a wilful breach of this contract.
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Freedom of the press has a whole different meaning in a communist country.
Les Copeland, Los Angeles, USA
The Olympics are nothing more than a business. China paid billions for this P.R. adventure.
stu, vancouver, USA
to Geoff:
Actually the olympics are the worlds games. thats why the torch is carried across the world from olympia to the "HOST" nation.
the olympics are for everyone, in every country. if its only for china then why bother having foriegn athletes? why not just make them all chinese?
tyler, seattle, united states
@Colin, how can you speak and preach about "Human Rights" when your the biggest violator of the concept? Now you use it as a new tool to varnish up your double standards when furthering your interests and have no problem throwing it out the window when your interests are threatened/need protection
Brundi, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
To: C K Wong, Malaysia
How is it that you speak for the Chinese Government when you are Malaysian? Do you not feel Malaysian but prefer to support a foreign country instead? I teach Chinese students English and have dicovered that integration is the hardest thing for them in another country.
Colin, Carmarthen, UK
Oh well,you snooze you loose!Should have thought about the consequences when you organised mass anti-Chinese "demonstrations" (reaching disgusting levels of racism) in March,along with getting your pet Lama to do a jig in time to set the stage.China never forgets,so expect more spite/"difficulties"
Brundi, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
My wife & I will not be watching the games out of protest with China, which is a totalitarian state, arrogant beyond belief, respecting no one in its wake, including its own people & forever backing rogue regimes like Zimbabwe !!
Watching our PM give a Chinese henchman the olympic flame, well....
ian payne, walsall,
All foreign corporations must abide by the Chinese Government rules & regulations and of course laws when in China. I hope China will enforce its laws stricter without giving in to demands of any western company - this is for the sake of Chinese unity which is the MOST important thing - not the west
C K Wong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This is the Bejing Olympics for the Chinese. They do not need foregners to come, they have the money, the people so who needs the world. Visa restrictions tightened, checks by the PSB on foreigners and now restrictions on Press coverage. All they want is a sanitised propaganda statement to the world
Geoff. Stainton, Guangzhou,
The kill joy games is completly true. They changed the visa laws in april meaning all foreign students have to get out during the olympics. no liquids are allowed to be carried on ferries. no electronic items eg toasters can be sent in the post. anyone on a train with a bag will be searched. etc etc
Dave, HK, China
If you have been to Beijing, you'll know that the decision from Chinese government is correct. The area around Tiananmen Square is too crowd and full of tourists. Our taxi driver even refused to pass by it although it's the closest route coz the price is up to mileage rather than time in China.
Ran, york, UK