Chinahas unveiled its new media centers, which are the largest ever builtfor any Olympics. The Main Press Center and International BroadcastCenter have been set up to serve more than 21,000 foreign and domesticreporters who will be covering the Olympics.
Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympics organizing committee, told reporters China takes media service seriously.
He says China has honored its commitment to "adopt all kinds of measures to provide every convenience for journalists."
Atthe opening ceremony, the International Olympic Committee's HeinVerbruggen praised BOCOG, the Beijing organizing committee, and saidmany journalists coming to cover the Olympics never even have to leavethe facility.
"We wish to thank BOCOG, because they have madegreat efforts to provide excellent services for the press, such asproviding all that is virtually needed for the media to make this theirhome for several weeks, from hair dressers, gyms, restaurants, to evena massage center," Verbruggen said.
Chinese officials haverepeatedly said "journalists are our friends," and reiterated pledgesthat, during the Olympics, reporters are allowed to talk to whomeverthey want to, as long as the interviewee gives his or her permission.
However,Johannes Hano, from German broadcaster ZDF, says his experience lastweek was very different from what Chinese officials have described.
"Wewere stopped by security guards last week, on the Great Wall, and wehad all the permissions we needed. They stopped us," he said. "We hada rehearsal before and nobody interfered. But when we started the live(shot), when we were on air, then they stopped us, running to thecamera, putting their hands on the camera."
Hano said he doesnot care as much about the working facilities, as he does about havingthe ability to report freely. He said he is worried that, despiteChinese promises, media freedom will be seriously curtailed.
Hisconcerns were echoed by the Foreign Correspondents Club of China, whichhas recorded 259 cases of reporting interference since January 1,2007. That is the date the new, more open, rules for Olympic reportingwent into effect.