Aussie radio reporters are at fever pitch in Beijing today as they make their last minute preparations for the next 17 days of blanket Olympics coverage. 2GB’s Ray Hadley is on his way now on a Beijing subway to broadcast the opening ceremony, while 2GB’s News Director Rachael Stevens is in the International Broadcast Centre coordinating news coverage. At the ABC OB unit, Tim Gavel has told radioinfo the venues are first rate and Peter Longman gives a report on the facilities.
The City of Beijing at the moment is blanketed by a haze which is apparently a combination of high humidity, dust and population, with plenty of colour and bunting to show that the Olympics are about to take place. Most Australian media teams are staying in the media village, which is reported to be of a high standard
2GB News Director Rachel Stevens (left) has staked out her position in the IBC building (see our earlier story) to coordinate the network’s news coverage.
Tim Gavel has told radioinfo from Beijing:
“The City is itself is massive and reflects the scale on which these games are being staged. The venues are first rate as are the media facilities at those venues. Our media operation centre at the International Broadcast Centre is a lot smaller than has been the case in previous Olympics but it is workable.
“We have commentary positions at the swimming, track and field, rowing and basketball with the remainder of the sports being called off tube back in the IBC.”
EP of the ABC’s coverage, Peter Longman has told radioinfo more about the facilities and the city.
radioinfo: Is the pollution as bad as everyone is reporting?
Longman: It is very thick and difficult to see much further than a few hundred metres. It will make things difficult for events like the Road Race and the Marathon.
radioinfo: Is the international broadcast centre as good/better than Sydney’s?
Longman: Much the same but obviously the technology has moved a long way. The media facilities are outstanding and we have had great assistance from the Broadcast Organising group.
radioinfo: Are there any technical innovations to support media reporting at this Olympics?
Longman: Nothing in Radio that is different to what we are using in Australia now, but TV may have some revolutionary changes.
radioinfo: Have you had any internet problems or problems with access to officials for interviews?
Longman: No internet problems for our needs. They are broadcasting BBC and CNN into the Media village. We haven’t had any problems talking to the people we require.
radioinfo: How many in the ABC reporting team?
Longman: Radio Sport has 18 people. News/Caff has a similar number.
radioinfo: Although the ABC, controversially, cannot broadcast your live coverage on ABC702, will that station be able to cross to ABC people at the games for reports, or is that out of bounds too?
Longman: It is very restricted on 702 although News/Caff can relay some descriptions. There can be Q and As but restricted to reporting rather than describing.
Meanwhile, on the lighter side, back in Australia, Triple M has had enough of all those new fangled special swimming costumes and wants to bring back the Budgie Smugglers for swimmers this Olympics.
The station will stage a protest today in Sydney to encourage officials to Bring Back Budgie Smugglers for Beijing. The crusade was the brainchild of Triple M’s Greg ‘Marto’ Martin, who reckons it’s time for today’s “soft” swimmers to harden up and stand proudly on the blocks in their sluggos. Marto says:
“What’s happened to the old budgie smugglers? Did Kieran Perkins need to hide his nipples in ‘96 when he stopped the nation for the gold? When Duncan Armstrong and Jon Sieben went for Gold in ‘84 and ‘88 all they had was Lawrie Lawrence with a rolled up newspaper and a pair of smugglers. We believe the rise of the full body swimsuit is an assault against good sportsmanship, an assault against style and is completely unAustralian.”