Pardo said Chinese officials, who had previously said live coverage would be allowed from Tiananmen Square, were now offering a stand-up position for broadcasters in the iconic venue, but it was unclear who would be able to use it.
“We don’t know who can access it,” he said. “Will guests for interviews have access to this area? Is this purely a broadcast area, or is it open? I want to have the possibility to bring whoever I consider necessary to this area to be interviewed. We don’t know who has the right to access.”
He said an EBU member told him that a film crew recently was given access to the Great Wall, but was then asked to pay “an outrageous fee” to begin filming. Pardo said it was not clear who asked for the money.
“Once you get the authorization you should be absolutely sure you can film freely and not have any problems. But this has not been the case,” he said.
Non rights-holders face many of the same restrictions over where they will be allowed to set up satellite trucks and high-tech equipment.
“I’m seeing promises of progress, but I’m not seeing the progress,” said Sandy MacIntrye, director of news for AP Television News, a non-rights holder.
“I know the IOC is pushing them [the Chinese] to get this stuff done,” MacIntrye said. “They [the Chinese] have promised progress and we wait to see if they live up to the promises.”
Murray Needham, the general manager of sports at Television New Zealand, a rights holder, voiced similar concerns.
“Many of us knew in the back of our minds that a China-hosted Games could throw up some unique difficulties and so it has proved,” Needham said via e-mail. “The broadcasting fraternity holds its breath in nervous anticipation.”
Shaken by protests on international legs of the Olympic torch relay following the outbreak of deadly rioting in Tibet in March, China’s government seems to be backtracking on promises to let reporters work as they have at previous Olympics.
A law enacted 18 months ago gave reporters freedom to move around the country, although Tibet has been off limits. The law generally has worked, although reporting remains a problem in the provinces.
In recent months, the government has tightened visa rules, particularly targeting foreign students. The government fears many would side with activist groups if protests break out.
In a 273-page guide to coverage for the foreign press, the introduction says: “The Chinese government will honor its commitments in the bid process ... to provide quality and convenient services to the media in accordance with international practice and the successful experience from previous games, so as to satisfy the demands of the media covering the Olympic Games in China.”
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