The Media Interview

Ahh, such promise for freedom of the press during the 2008 Olympics in this headline from the Guardian:

Beijing promises open media environment for Olympics

Then we find out that it means this:

“BOCOG will apply a zero refusal policy for interview requests, which means that all requests for interviews will be replied to,” the China Daily quoted Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, as saying. [my emphasis]

If replying to all interview requests is the criterion, then every government, every corporation, every celebrity has a “zero refusal policy,” except when they’re mean and don’t return your calls…

For its part, the International Olympic Committee has made it clear they’re demanding freedom of the press (at least on the grounds of the games):

Athletes will be allowed to speak freely in on-site media interviews after their competitions, even on the grounds of Olympic venues, where the Olympic Charter bans political protests.

(from a Washington Post article about IOC President Jacques Rogge and freedom of speech, April 11, 2008)

We’ll find out soon how far that promise will carry.