(BEIJING, 18 May 2006) -- The 2006 World Broadcaster Meeting for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will be held in Beijing 9 to 11 August 2006, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) announced on May 18.

More than 300 delegates of radio and television rights-holding broadcasters from around the world will be briefed by the host broadcaster, Beijing Olympic Broadcasting Co., Ltd (BOB) on areas such as broadcasting production plan, International Broadcast Centre and services to broadcasters.

As the Host Broadcaster, BOB is responsible for producing television and radio coverage of the Beijing Games. Its coverage is provided to rights-holding broadcasters, who will package their coverage and transmit to an estimated audience of 4 billion worldwide.

The three-day meeting will also include formal presentations by BOCOG on areas such as transport, accommodation, technology, accreditation and marketing.

Mr Jiang Xiaoyu, BOCOG's executive vice president and BOB chairman, said the meeting was the most important step so far for broadcasting the Beijing Games.

"The success of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games broadcast relies on BOB and the rights-holding broadcasters working together to produce an outstanding coverage of Beijing and the Games," Mr Jiang Xiaoyu said.

BOB's chief executive, Mr Manolo Romero, said "the 2006 World Broadcaster Meeting provides a good opportunity for us to meet with many of the rights-holders who plan to be in Beijing in 2008."

The 2006 World Broadcaster Meeting will be followed by a workshop for Asian and South American broadcasters from 14-15 August 2006 and a briefing for European Broadcasting Union from 17-19 August 2006.

Some 16,000 broadcasters from more than 200 broadcasting organizations will cover the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, starting with the Opening Ceremony on 8 August and finishing with the Closing Ceremony on 24 August 2008.

BOB and BOCOG hosted the 2005 World Broadcaster Briefing in Beijing last September.

Contact person: Mr. Yang Binyuan

Contact number: 8610-6669 2038

Email: yangbinyuan@beijing-olympic.org.cn