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How to deal with bad press the Beijing way - cancel press conferences

 

By PA Mediapoint

Beijing organisers have come up with a way to dodge uncomfortable questions - cancelling the daily press conferences.

Past Olympics have always had a daily news conference where both the IOC and the local organisers are available for questioning.

A week of tough scrutiny has proved too much for the Chinese - they cancelled both conferences at the weekend, and have now done the same for the events planned for tomorrow and Thursday.

At the conference today, Wang Wei, the executive vice-president of the Beijing organising committee, was unable to provide answers about the numbers of people given permission to stage protests in the special 'protest zones' set up at the Games.

It is suspected that the Chinese government have not authorised any protests whatsoever.

Games organisers promised to provide the answer more than a week ago but Wang said he was still waiting for a reply from the authorities.

Wang was also unable to answer queries about the accreditation of a Tibetan-born journalist from Washington-based Radio Free Asia.

The IOC approved the request of Dhondup Gonzar months ago but the Chinese government have stalled ever since, and again Wang said the matter was still "being processed".

IOC communications director Giselle Davies said: "We have sought further information on this and would very much encourage more details to be provided as soon as possible."

Wang was asked afterwards whether the views he expressed were his personal ones or the government's and replied: "They are indistinguishable."

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