Media News - Tuesday, April 01, 2008

IOC puts pressure on Beijing over Internet access

International Olympic Committee (IOC) inspectors have told Beijing organizers that the Internet must be open for the duration of the 2008 Olympics. The Internet is routinely censored in China but Beijing is committed by its ‘host city contract’ to giving the estimated 30,000 media expected for the Olympics the freedom to report as they have at previous Games. ‘There was some criticism that the Internet closed down during events relating to Tibet in previous weeks, but this is not Games time,’ IOC coordination commission vice chairman Kevan Gosper told reporters. ‘Our concern is that the press is able to operate as it has at previous Games during Games time,’ added Gosper, speaking on the sidelines of the inspection of preparations for the August 8-24 Games. The Australian, also chairman of the IOC's press commission, said blocking the Internet during the Games ‘would reflect very poorly’ on the host country but was confident the Chinese would fulfill the obligations of their agreement. New laws loosening the restrictions on foreign media in China went into operation on January 1 last year but are due to expire in October. (Reuters)

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