Govt will stop illegal broadcasts

Authorities are determined to prevent unauthorized companies and individuals from broadcasting Olympic events, an official from the National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) said yesterday.

"No website, mobile phone platform or individual is permitted to transmit audio and video information regarding the Beijing Olympic Games or events within the mainland without a copyright or copyright holders' authorizations," Xu Chao, deputy director of the copyright management department of the NCAC, told a press conference in Beijing.

Webcasts of Olympic-related programs have become commonplace since the Olympic torch gathering ceremony on March 24 and the ensuing torch relay, Xu said, adding that the administration, together with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and copyright holders, are monitoring illegal transmissions on domestic websites.