Media Troubles For The Biggest Event Of 2008?

By: Hillary Profita
Topics: Media Issues

(GETTY)

There' a pretty important news event in 2008 may prove problematic for the media organizations that will be covering it. No, not that one. Instead, we're talking about the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. As we've mentioned many times before around here, China's restrictions on press freedom are pretty substantial. Months ago, the Associated Press noted that many activists had been squawking about the issue, particularly with regard to how China's restrictions would play out during the Olympics.

The Wall Street Journal today points out that Beijing has agreed to "temporarily relax limits on foreign journalists from Jan. 1, 2007, through Oct. 17, 2008, saying they will be free to roam the country to report on the Olympics 'and related matters.'" But it's unclear where traditional limitations will come into play. Foreign journalists will "still be subject to existing Chinese laws, such as rules barring foreigners from visiting Tibet without permits," according to the Foreign Ministry. As the Chinese government well knows, writes the Journal, "cameras and notebooks are just as likely to record angry farmers protesting, practitioners of the banned Falun Gong discipline clashing with police, or Hollywood stars campaigning for Tibet's independence -- if reporters have the access."

The Chinese government also knows that the appearance of such "brute restraints" is not going to bode so well for its image during an international event such as the Olympics. So they're working with public relations executives to teach Chinese officials "how foreigners see China, and how to communicate with reporters and promote themselves through access rather than propaganda."

Whether it all pans out in the end – to the benefit of foreign news organizations or not -- remains to be seen.