How do overseas media report Beijing Olympic Games？

　　　　Author: Southern Weekend reporter Zhu Hongjun from Beijing and Shanghai

　　　　Written in the front: This is the third time that this newspaper’s Olympic special issue has met with you. We will look at our media colleagues, who come from outside China. What is certain is that their perspective is definitely not just the Olympic Games. They will observe all aspects of China. How will China face these "critical eyes"? This is a test. Is China ready to face it?

　　　　Beijing will face their "harsh lens", which may be everywhere in 2008.

　　　　Pay attention to "China off the court"

　　　　Now it seems that foreign journalists who can enter the Olympic Games will be lucky.

　　　　According to the statistics of BOCOG, the total number of journalists covering the Beijing Olympic Games may reach 30,000. However, only 5,600 people are qualified for the interview. Obviously, others can only pay attention to China outside the stadium.

　　　　For example, the Wall Street Journal, because there is no sports page, only got six admission places. "We will not pay too much attention to pure sports events." Ding Jiesheng, deputy director of the Beijing branch of the Wall Street Journal, said.

　　　　On October 2nd, the newspaper published "Preparing for the Olympic Games in a Careful Way". Before that, they noticed the news about China enterprises producing pork at designated locations for the Olympic Games, so they started digging.

　　　　The final report contains a series of elements such as food safety, inflation, the gap between the rich and the poor, and even miners and elites. Is this an "Olympic report"?

　　　　A week ago, they were concerned about the China government’s verification of illegal visas for foreigners in China. A month ago, a report about the complicated situation that Beijing Olympic Games will encounter in fulfilling its promises appeared on important pages of newspapers, and the report mentioned the environment, transportation, diplomacy, human rights and international affairs. This seems to be their "Olympic report".

　　　　CNN’s "personality" is similar to that of the Wall Street Journal. This famous news organization has only won six places, which is the same as previous years, although the final coverage scale will be the highest in the past years.

　　　　According to the regulations of the International Olympic Committee, non-broadcasters will not be allowed to use the Olympic logo or even words in their program logos. Jimmy, the chief reporter of CNN Beijing Branch, said that they can only have a name similar to "Beijing Focus". "Beijing outside the stadium and China outside sports are the focus of our report."

　　　　The Beijing branch of CNN has been preparing materials in full swing, including all aspects of culture, politics, economy and society, from sweeping English characters, raising dogs for ordinary people, and stressing civilization and building a new style to the turmoil in Darfur and the Taiwan Strait. These may all be "Olympic reports"

　　　　"Countdown to Beijing" is a special feature recorded by CNN for the first anniversary of the countdown to the Beijing Olympic Games. "CNN won’t just say to fly to Beijing, tell foreigners how many bicycles there are in Beijing, and then leave." KristieLuStout, one of the anchors, said.

　　　　"Our problem is how to innovate. It is impossible to make detailed and detailed concrete reports, such as the cost of Olympic venues. We may be placed in the political background of China government’s strong administrative resource allocation ability and the economic background of China’s low labor cost, "Jimmy said." Sometimes, we must find the big background for every detail. "

　　　　Kei Matsumura is a full-time Olympic journalist of Kyodo News Agency. He was entrusted by Kyodo News Agency with the important task of analyzing China in depth and comprehensively outside the regular season. So far, he has questioned China’s doping problem, the trend of the national system, environmental pollution, food safety and other non-sports issues.

　　　　He is also concerned about the rejuvenation and self-esteem of the Chinese nation. An article by Kyodo News said that China intends to restore the self-esteem damaged since the Opium War. "The Olympic Games is not only a sports event, but also a political activity that cannot be failed.".

　　　　Matsumura Kei is under great pressure. He has been in China for three years, which is too short to know this complicated and huge country. In the past, full-time sports reporters usually went to the Olympic Games, but this time, colleagues from the economic, current affairs and international departments of Kyodo News participated. "There is no doubt that the biggest attraction of the Beijing Olympic Games is the rise of China and China." Lin Guangyao, Reuters’s chief current affairs reporter, insists that it is undoubtedly the most appropriate word to sum up the significance of an Olympic Games in one sentence.

　　　　"Don’t be an opinion leader"

　　　　The Wall Street Journal hopes that its report "does not presuppose a special perspective and is not easy to make judgments. We hope that all issues are involved."

　　　　Lin Guangyao, Reuters’s chief current affairs reporter, stressed that Reuters had no editorials, no commentator’s articles and no so-called position to speak of.

　　　　The "September 11th Incident", Reuters was criticized by Americans for refusing to call the perpetrators terrorists, but they said, "We are facing the whole world".

　　　　For the Beijing Olympic Games, "our angle is to reflect some things happening in China, not to be an opinion leader and not to be influenced by any news." Lin Guangyao said.

　　　　Efimov, a reporter from RIA Novosti, hesitated even when asked to express his personal opinion. He quipped that he would not interfere in China’s internal affairs, and he never took the initiative to mention any political topics related to the Olympic Games. He opposed the politicized interpretation of the Olympic Games as a sports event. Every country has shortcomings, and it is inappropriate for anyone to criticize.

　　　　He Zongda, director of the Beijing branch of Korea East Asia Daily, holds the same view. Los Angeles in 1984 and Moscow Olympic Games in 1980 failed to become global events because of political problems. He believes that these lessons are enough to be learned.

　　　　When foreign media criticized China’s superstitious thoughts because the opening time of the Beijing Olympic Games was scheduled for August 8th, He Zongda appeared dismissive. "Every country has its own preference for numbers".

　　　　"Beijing’s hosting of the Olympic Games is both a right and a responsibility. It is like putting yourself under a microscope. It is inevitable to be picky and questioning, and all previous host cities are like this."

　　　　On CNN’s program, the environment, traffic and Darfur in Sudan were not evaded. Jimmy said that as long as the report is objective and balanced, the China government should not pay too much attention to it.

　　　　Ostroukhov, deputy director of RIA Novosti Beijing Branch, studied the policy of reform and opening up in Sun Yat-sen University. In his opinion, besides promoting economic growth and improving international status, the most important thing is that China has opened the window for all those who are worried about China to see for themselves what Beijing is like and what kind of country China is.

　　　　A Korean reporter’s expectation of Beijing

　　　　Deputy Director of Media Operations Department of BOCOG: The media is the referee of the Olympic Games.

　　　　"China Strategy" of Foreign Media

　　　　Olympic Games is a part of life.

　　　　Not all foreign media have ambitions beyond Olympic coverage. To the west and countries outside Asia, China is also vague.

　　　　Osman, president of the Beijing branch of Turkey World News Agency, said that Turks’ impression of China can be summarized as: the largest population, the fastest development and the cheapest goods. "Obviously, it is still very limited." Oszmann has been in China for eight years, and often claims to be a Beijinger. He is willing to play the role of literacy more. "First of all, he must know China."

　　　　His task seems relaxed. "We will pay more attention to tourism, history and culture, food, and China’s living customs", which is roughly similar to China’s guide.

　　　　Feng Yifei, an employee of Swedish TV station in China, has the impression that the Nordic people don’t care much about politics. Sweden has no war experience for more than 200 years, and even the Swedish king’s visit to China was not reported by Swedish TV station Beijing Branch. "They believe that sports and the Olympics are part of daily life. Maybe they won’t pay attention to the size of the venue, how many advanced equipment and how many seats there are, but they will definitely care about where the residents who once lived on this land went and how they lived. "

　　　　Shunyi Water Park, one year later, the Olympic rowing venue was visited by foreign journalists organized by BOCOG, while Swedish TV reporters took the time to interview the general public who reflected the relocation and resettlement problems, and spent half a year completing the relevant reports. Danish TV reporter Jan Larsen said that the Danish people are not familiar with China, perhaps staying in the "Cultural Revolution" or feeling that people are "rich" from China tourists, and he hopes to reveal a more real picture. This picture is not just the Olympics.

　　　　It is precisely because of this that Danish TV stations have not reported on the Olympic Games and rarely participated in the press conference of the Olympic Organizing Committee. They are more concerned about environmental pollution. "This is a long-term problem, and it is also a problem that concerns the whole world, not just the next Olympic Games."

　　　　In other countries, there will be a lot of full civil discussions on the construction of venues and public facilities. "In Beijing, however, all the news you see is supported by the citizens, and there is no substantive discussion." Yang Larsen felt a little sorry.

　　　　South Korea’s East Asia Daily, He Zongda, said that compared with Beijing’s modern facilities, Beijing residents’ consciousness and living habits are not modern enough.

　　　　"For example, drivers and pedestrians don’t care much about traffic rules." He feels that an Olympic Games should leave more legacy for the lives of ordinary people, which is also one of the efforts of BOCOG.

　　　　"Don’t report negative news"

　　　　There is a portrait of Ho Chi Minh on the wall of the Beijing branch of Vietnam News Agency. Half a century ago, socialist Vietnam set up the earliest news agency in socialist China. The current president Ruan Chunzheng has been more than 20, and the branch now has three journalists, all of whom are Viet Cong party member. "Foreign journalists still need certain political protection." "Vietnam and China are both socialist countries, have the same experience of resisting foreign aggression, and are eager to integrate into the international community. The current difficulties are similar, such as environment, energy and food safety. " Ruan said that China’s experience is very valuable. "We don’t report negative news." He said that the news agencies in socialist countries are different from those in the west. "They only like to find out each other’s problems, while we like to look at each other’s strengths and positive things." "China characteristics" are showing special meanings. The details captured by foreign journalists include: China botanists are trying to change the natural flowering period so that Beijing will be full of flowers; To celebrate the first anniversary of the countdown, a table tennis match of 10,000 people in Tiananmen Square, including hundreds of thousands of Olympic volunteers, seemed to be held overnight.

　　　　Ostroukhov, deputy director of RIA Novosti, was amazed by the achievements of the China government in centralizing financial, human and material resources. He even wondered how the China government made everyone welcome the Olympic Games, and even a 102-year-old China took part in the torch relay, which surprised him.

　　　　The explanation he observed is that because of the Beijing Olympic Games, officials and the public have reached a consensus, and "in many countries, officials and ordinary people are separated."

　　　　Those villagers who have been removed for their own interests still sincerely say, "We safeguard our own interests and we also support the Beijing Olympic Games." This makes Swedish TV reporter Ou Fengrui feel that this is China.

　　　　When all the surprises can’t be solved at the moment, they will generally prefix them with "China characteristics". Japanese Kyodo News reporter Kei Matsumura has been searching for the so-called "China characteristics" for three years.

　　　　In the summer of 2005, he interviewed Xu Haifeng, the former Olympic champion, and Ma Yanhong, the Olympic champion in 1984. Ma Yanhong recalled that when she participated in the Olympic Games, the leaders of the sports bureau said that the gold medal was not important, but it was important not to lose face for Chinese. Later, time and again, the requirements for gold medals became higher and higher.

　　　　A reporter from China who participated in the coverage of the 1984 Olympic Games told him that the people in China have placed too many meanings beyond the gold medal. For example, more and more gold medals will imply that the country is getting stronger and stronger.

　　　　In 2007, he interviewed Qiu Zhonghui, an old athlete from China, and listened to her memories of the famine years in the 1950s and 1960s. He also interviewed Wei Jizhong. When China leaders met Samaranch after the failure of bidding for the Olympic Games in 1993, they said that sooner or later the International Olympic Committee would hope that China would host it.

　　　　Matsumura Kei said that he was sorting out a theme history about the China Olympic Games, and the fragments accumulated from a series of interviews made him understand many questions. Why did China devote so much enthusiasm to the Olympic Games? Why are you so yearning for the Olympic gold medal?

　　　　Looking forward to a more relaxed interview environment

　　　　Beijing is preparing for their arrival, and the system reform shows new ideas. The most striking thing is that the China government has liberalized the restrictions on foreign journalists’ interviews. This is considered to have symbolic significance.

　　　　Gratifying changes have already appeared. Yin Jiefu of the Wall Street Journal said that when he visited China in 1990s, it was difficult for government departments to get in touch with him. After the establishment of the press spokesman system, the channels were much smoother, and now they are almost overwhelmed with press conferences.

　　　　However, "it is difficult to be complete" still happens from time to time. For the program Countdown to Beijing, Jimmy of CNN felt that the preliminary preparation was too long and full of twists and turns, and only 70% of the original plan was presented.

　　　　The remaining 30% includes: the request to shoot inside the Bird’s Nest was rejected for security reasons. Until the week before the start of the program, the list of interviewed athletes could not be decided. Thanks to the coordination of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, Guo Jingjing and Ma Yanhong walked to the camera at the last minute.

　　　　They also tried to find more authoritative China officials for direct dialogue, but Jimmy felt that there were not many people who were fluent in English, such as Wang Wei, an official of the Olympic Organizing Committee, which affected the live broadcast of TV programs.

　　　　CNN has about 200 million viewers around the world. In China, it can only be watched in a few star-rated hotels. Jimmy once suggested that we should also try to let go of the signal landing. He was also worried about how foreign tourists would feel if the signal was interrupted in hotels during the Olympic Games.

　　　　In August this year, the Association of Foreign Journalists in China in Beijing published a survey on the environmental satisfaction of news reporting, targeting 163 foreign journalists in China. Nearly half of the reporters agree that the interview environment has improved this year, but a considerable number of reporters still believe that there are still various problems.

　　　　Al Jazeera reporter Ma Meng said, "I can understand, because there are many political and customary reasons." There is no need to be surprised. It takes time. What is important is that China is making progress.

Editor: Li Xiuwei