Reader comments: China may struggle with allowing Olympic reporters to work freely
7 comments | Read story
won't happen | 6:51 a.m. July 8, 2008
I, for one, don't think China will keep its pledge made 7 years ago.
Jan | 10:39 a.m. July 8, 2008
I think that a lot of weather they will keep thier word will in the hands of the reporters themselves. If they stick to the games - or it they try to talk to the people and paint a bad picture of the goverment and life there (even if it is bad!) They are there to do the games and that's it.
ginny | 2:51 p.m. July 8, 2008
Jan, it's whether, not weather. Two different words. Sorry, I'm a teacher.
I think the Olympic Games will be a debacle in China, and and the free world will notice it on TV. Freedom to move around will not be tolerated. It's going to be interesting. This does not bode well for the athletes. I can see all the TV broadcasts being shut down because of some infraction somewhere. It is communist China we're talking about....I hope I'm wrong!
I think the Olympic Games will be a debacle in China, and and the free world will notice it on TV. Freedom to move around will not be tolerated. It's going to be interesting. This does not bode well for the athletes. I can see all the TV broadcasts being shut down because of some infraction somewhere. It is communist China we're talking about....I hope I'm wrong!
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ER in AF | 3:41 p.m. July 8, 2008
I worked for 2 years in Beijing for the USGOV recently and have around 25 years experience in and out of China. I do not believe the Government of China will uphold the pledge. Even if the high end of the Chinese Gov wanted to, the institutional inertia of continuous repression/control of the press will steamroll many efforts to report freely. When in doubt the little guy at the end of the chain will fear for his job/family/opportunity to stay out of jail and will err on the side of repression. That is the way they have done it in the past and that is the way they will do it this time. As they often say at the beginning of a statement "We have 5000 years of history and we do it...blah, blah blah"
It is incredibly difficult to turn a ocean liner.
It is incredibly difficult to turn a ocean liner.
Rich M | 4:53 p.m. July 8, 2008
Jan, China said it would premit the world media to do as they have reported other Olympic Games. And the coverage that I have watched here in the US for at least the last 50 years has always tried to give us the "setting", to show and inform us of the host country and its people. So please don't start giving the Chinese Govt. line of "do the Games and that's it". Also don't think for a minute that the Chinese Govt wanted the Games there just for the sports.
Helloooooooo | 6:09 p.m. July 8, 2008
These people have never kept a promise in the past. What makes the IOC or anyone else think they're going to start now?
Eye Dee Ten Tee | 11:21 p.m. July 8, 2008
A Few people thought the purpose of the SLC Olympics was to convert the world to Mormonism. Some of the communists in China think that the same possiblity exists with these Olympics, and others believe that the Chinese will become a little bit more free because of the influence of the gai-jin. (Or is that Japanese? I forget my Clavell novels)
I'm curious to see if they Chinese open up any more than other free world organizations like, say, the Obama campaign.
I'm curious to see if they Chinese open up any more than other free world organizations like, say, the Obama campaign.
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