China Polices Olympics Journalism

[Pangloss]

When China won the Olympic games, one of the things it agreed to do was a bit unusual -- it promised not to censor media reporting on anything related to the games, and to allow uncensored Internet access within the Olympic village before and during the games. It's already broken these promises several times, the most recent incident taking place on Friday. Apparently thousands of people were waiting in line to purchase tickets and a fist-fight broke out around 4am. Hours later, in daylight after the incident was over, reporters were turned away from people standing in line whom they wanted to interview.

 

Security was ramped up today, and reporters were denied access to people in the lines by military police guards. Hong Kong television showed journalists being shoved by security officers as they tried to film, less than a mile from the main Bird's Nest Olympic stadium.

 

``A reporter was trying to go into a restricted area, refused to comply with orders and was brought away by police,'' said Sun Weide, the chief spokesman for the Beijing Olympics Organizing Committee. ``The police were trying to maintain order and we hope that journalists can comply with our rules.''

 

Beijing organizers have pledged to give reporters the same freedoms as at previous Olympics. Beijing police didn't respond to a fax inquiring about the trouble last night and the security policy today.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aPC.9tPGRc8Q&refer=home

 

The Wall Street Journal reports that some journalists were arrested and others were required to destroy footage. It goes on to talk about how this news is being censored within the media centers of the Olympic village.

 

Meanwhile, the government continues to block news Web sites such as the BBC's Mandarin site and the Chinese-language, pro-democratic Apple Daily of Hong Kong. That is happening inside Olympic media centers, despite the promise of China's Olympic organizers that Internet access would be unfettered. It was always unlikely that China's media cops would be willing to suspend their censorship habits for the Olympics, and Friday's overreaction to one unfortunate incident will harm China's image far more than any reporting would have.

 

I could find only those two stories about the incident through Google News, though granted it's not a huge incident.

 

Others attending at the Olympics are also reporting censorship unrelated to this event. Amnesty International's web site is blocked, for example, according to various blogs.

 

I'm thinking that now that the games are about to begin, there's little the International Olympic Committee can do -- they can hardly pull the games at this late hour, and doing so would likely be seen by most (including me) as an overreaction.

 

I think what should happen is that the media needs to wake up and shine a VERY bright spotlight on this issue, instead of the dim and half-noticed one they're kinda/sorta/thinking-about shining on it now.

[CaptainPanic]

I think that bad stuff happens everywhere, and we're overreacting on the Chinese situation.

 

Just check your own clothes, computer and other stuff in the house. I bet about 50% of it is Chinese. If you want to do something about the Chinese situation, then stop buying their cheapcheap stuff! Buy the quality gear. Investigate on internet which shops guarantee that their workers are over 16 or 18, and well paid, with pensions and such.

 

I get tired of the hypocritical view people take. China bad, Chinese products good.

 

And perhaps you (Pangloss) never bought any Chinese stuff... this is more general.

 

I one time went to a Free-Tibet festival with friends. In the train we found out that we were all wearing Chinese clothes, up to 50%... probably made by kids or at least by underpaid people. I felt ashamed of myself...

[Pangloss]

What in the world does that have to do with anything? I'm not allowed to observe what's happening because I bought Chinese goods? Huh?

 

You want to chastise people for a perceived hypocrisy, fine, but I don't see how that automatically means we're overreacting. You're definitely missing a logic step or three there. And even so I don't see how that should stop people from commenting.

[Phi for All]

When China won the Olympic games, one of the things it agreed to do was a bit unusual -- it promised not to censor media reporting on anything related to the games, and to allow uncensored Internet access within the Olympic village before and during the games. It's already broken these promises several times, the most recent incident taking place on Friday.

I'm reminded of when the Chinese government wanted to remove the McDonald's from Tienanmen Square, despite the fact that they themselves had negotiated a 20-year lease. It seems that promises from the Chinese government are not the same thing as promises elsewhere.

 

I'm thinking that now that the games are about to begin, there's little the International Olympic Committee can do -- they can hardly pull the games at this late hour, and doing so would likely be seen by most (including me) as an overreaction.

I'm betting the Chinese government was counting on just this reaction. Using the leverage we have seems to be the only thing that will motivate them to adhere to agreements, such as when we threatened to block Guangdong's textile exports to the US unless they put a stop to the province's pirate factories.

[DJBruce]

I am becoming very annoyed with China's inability to keep promises. In my opinion China will do, say, and promise anything to anyone, regardless of how ethical or legal it is, just to get a half step on the rest of the world.

 

As for the Olympics I think that it is to late to change anything now and that the best we can do is put a spot light on things. And if at the end of the games things have not improved the US and the Olympic committee should publicly denounce the treatment of journalists and the censorship at the Olympics and should possible place sanctions on China, possibly not allowing China to compete in the next Olympics. Someone needs to stand up to China and tell them that they cannot lie and cheat everyone.

 

Oh and one last thing:

USA USA USA USA USA USA