Reflections on Olympic reporting

晨曲

Reflections on Olympic reporting

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Best game I covered

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At the beginning of 2006, I experienced my first Olympic Games personally. As the only correspondent of China Daily for the Turin Winter Olympic Games in this February, I witnessed not only China's first ever snow event Winter Olympic gold medal, but also, the tenacity of athletes' fighting spirits.

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When the national flag rose in Turin, when the comeback of injured young figure skater Zhang Dan won the standing ovation, I could not stop the tears welling up in my eyes.

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Covering the Olympic Games myself gave me the opportunity to feel the Olympics from the frontlines. As well as writing stories to record the global sports gala, I came to understand the Olympic spirit more deeply through personally experiencing the games. (Lei Lei)

Most interesting person I met

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When I met Qi Kaili, a wheelchair-bound world fencing champion, I was amazed to learn that she was six months pregnant and was very excited about being a mother.

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"I thought I should have concentrated on training. But at my age, I also wanted to have a baby," Qi said. "Everybody respects my decision."

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Knowing that I was probably wondering if she would still be in good condition for the Paralympic Games, Qi said: "I plan to resume training after the middle of next year. It would be hard for me to predict whether or not I'd be able to qualify, not to mention win a medal there. A dozen other good athletes are also

training for the event, but I think I'll try my best."

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It's heartening to see that everybody supported Qi's determination to be herself and to seek a way of life based on the joy of effort. (Gu Wen)

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Best interview I conducted

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The interview was conducted in the Beijing house of David Tool, a retired US Army colonel who has been volunteering to correct poorly translated English signage in public places in Beijing for five years.

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Tool participated in the Viet Nam War and used to be the director of a Buddhist Studies Centre in Sri Lanka.

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Now he is a professor at Beijing International Studies University. His house on the campus was decorated in traditional Chinese style, and the air in the apartment was filled with the smell of burning Tibetan joss sticks. (Li Jing)

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Most unforgettable reporting experience

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I took part in a special team that took pictures for old hutong (traditional Chinese alleys) and siheyuan (traditional Chinese courtyards) every weekend.

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My goal is to write a profile of the team leader Zhang Wei, a 29-year-old Beijing resident.

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On a freezing winter day in late November, I followed the 30 team members on visits to several hutong and scores of siheyuan in downtown Beijing.

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Some of the buildings will be restored and the residents in them have already moved out, leaving the centuries-old buildings standing helplessly in whistling winds.

Zhang and his members kept photographing throughout the day despite the sub-zero temperature. The old buildings are priceless treasures in their eyes.

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Zhang told me that nearly half of the hutong and siheyuan that his team had photographed have already disappeared forever, and his dream is to create an online virtual museum of Beijing's hutong and siheyuan.

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At dinner that day, Zhang and his members performed storytelling, clapper talk, cross talk and comic dialogues for me. I could feel the passion and love that they have towards the intangible heritage of old Beijing. (Li Jing)

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Most creative Olympic-related business initiative

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It appears that the ability to adeptly flip a burger can help one become a champion at the 2008 Olympic Games. The Olympic Champion Crew programme at fast-food giant McDonald's, a worldwide partner of the Olympic Games, is picking its best staff to provide services at the Games.

So far, 12 out of more than 50,000 McDonald's staff in China have become part of the Olympic Champion Crew. These staff had to compete in the in-house "Hot Hamburger" competitions, which test their knowledge and skills in subjects such as cooking, customer service, efficiency and cleanliness.

It's a good example of an integrated marketing campaign that makes all aspects of marketing communications, including sponsorship of a sports event and media relations, work in unison.

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In comparison, many other sponsors of the Beijing Olympics, who paid hefty fees to win the right to identify themselves with the Games, have yet to come up with creative marketing communication ideas, which go beyond just showing Beijing Olympic logos in their promotions. (Gu Wen)

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Best quotes in our stories

"I don't want to know. I want to be surprised on August 8, 2008."

IOC President Jacques Rogge on the Beijing Olympic opening ceremony

"If someone does not have a wheelchair and needs one, or living in a house with stairs going down, then they cannot have a life because of the disabled house. It's not the person that is disabled, but the house."

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Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee, on accessibility to people with all mobility capabilities

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"After many years, when people think of the Beijing Games, they will come up with the idea of a tremendous Olympic Games. Not only the organization, but also the atmosphere, which is supposed to let all the participants feel that they belong to the Olympic family and share in the joy of a festival."

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He Zhenliang, chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Culture and Olympic Education Commission on his wish towards the 2008 Games

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"Hacking and spitting is a habit that is not respectful to yourself nor to others; it lowers the image of a person and the nation."

Lu-Chin Mischke on spitting in Beijing

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"I want to make sure my life counts for something. The Beijing Olympics and my little part in helping to prepare for it has been one such opportunity to be of some use."

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Viet Nam veteran David Tool, 64, on his understanding about life

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Olympic storyline for 2007

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Completion of Olympic venues;

Improvement of urban transportation and the environment;

Organisation of 26 test competition events in 2007;

Preparations in security, medical care, food, technologies and other services related to the Games;

Media services;

Local campaigns to improve courtesies and manners of citizens;

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Preparations for the torch relay and the opening and closing ceremonies;

Recruitment of volunteers from overseas;

Overseas marketing of the Games;

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Olympic education.

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Source: China Daily