There is no doubt that the socio-political policies of the Chinese government have caused concern in many corners of the world. The Beijing Olympic Games are intended to allay some of those concerns and shine a new light on China and its position in the global economy. Although success has been achieved on many fronts with these Games, there are still questions to be answered and realities to be faced.
With almost 20,000 accredited journalists and photographers in Beijing for the festivities, it is clear that the actions and reactions of the host committee as well as the government are under intense scrutiny. That is why the host committee has sought out a cadre of experienced communications professionals to counsel them about the “western view” in key situations. My name was placed in consideration by a prominent Chinese friend and colleague in the early planning phases for the Games. I was asked to help because of my experience as a former journalist and long-time news media strategist. My voice was one in a crowd for this low-profile effort but each day of the Games a list of issues has been put forward for reaction and guidance on the responses to each of these issues. The work has been fascinating and sometimes frustrating but the exchange has seemed valuable nonetheless.
The range of issues that have been faced by the organizers since the beginning of the Olympic Games has been wide and far-reaching. Some have been quite serious, while others have seemed almost frivolous in comparison. Potential responses have been studied with care and reactions have been timely. For the most part, the Games and Beijing have avoided any major controversies or emergencies. Security in and around the capitol city has been paramount. The huge clampdown which started ahead of the Games has included checks at subway stations, restrictions on visas of foreigners and anti-aircraft missiles placed near sporting venues. Officials have said that about 150,000 police and other security personnel are on hand to safeguard the Games.
Still, there have been situations to deal with and here are a few that have ultimately been covered by the global media in some form.
The stabbing of the Minnesota couple and their guide at the Drum Tower is perhaps the most serious. The attacker was obviously deranged and took his own life. Sadly, one of the people who was attacked died as well. The question here was one of “proportional response”. How far do they go to avoid an incident like this. First, it is almost impossible to stop someone acting alone from performing their act. Already there are weapons checks going on at all major public venues. Here, it seemed that an overt action was necessary to underscore the safety of the citizenry and to make it obvious that there is a major effort in place. The Drum Tower was closed immediately. Additional security safeguards were put in place and then the facility was reopened with no further action.
The situation in Tibet was bound to raise its head during the Games and, of course, it did. The group of “Free Tibet” demonstrators made a public spectacle near one of the venues and caused the temporary closure of several important tourist locations including Tian’ an Men Square. This is a difficult cultural problem that will not end here. However, the Chinese Government has made their position on public demonstrations very clear. Previous incidents have resulted in the deportation of the activists. This one was no different. Controlling demonstrations is something municipalities around the world have to deal with. The subject matter is secondary to the public disruption that can result. If things are done in a peaceful manner, they are most often tolerated. The Tibet situation is just too volatile to handle at certain times. This was unfortunately one of them.
There was a related incident with a British journalist who was detained as a result of this demonstration. He cried foul for being manhandled and the BBC reported it. In this case, however, there was more to the story. First of all, the journalist was running inside the group of demonstrators with no visible credential. Secondly, it was reported that he was an active part of the demonstration, even holding up a “Free Tibet” t-shirt, before police intervened. And then when he was detained, he admittedly tried to escape. The suggestion was made that the journalist should be publicly questioned on his actions. When this happened, his story changed and he had little defense. It’s one thing to be a journalist covering an event but quite another to be a sympathetic demonstrator and then turn objective “journalist” when it is convenient.
Finally, a quick note from the other end of the spectrum. Not so serious was the situation when Nike tried an ambush marketing effort at several of the key Olympic venues. Adidas is the official sportswear sponsor of the Games. The organizing committee has been very protective of their sponsors exclusive positions and on a regular basis, commercial competitors have tried to intrude on the action. In this instance, Nike began to hand out “Just Do It” (their marketing slogan) t-shirts to spectators entering the stadiums, if they would put on the shirts before going in. The expected result was to be a sea of “Just Do It” shirts in the stands. Officials immediately turned the “Just Do It” wearers around saying that their tickets would not be honored unless they removed the shirts before coming into the venue. Frankly, this whole situation seemed ludicrous to me. Nike was having a tough time getting the shirts on people and the Games were having a somewhat tougher time getting them off. It was a disruption for everyone. Ultimately, the Games stopped screening the spectators and Nike stopped the campaign. The media barely covered the incident and I say let the outdoor boards and uniforms on the athletes speak for themselves. It’s a lot easier that way.
What encourages me most about this exercise is that all the parties are making a very conscious effort to have these Games be safe and fair for all the participants. At every Olympic Games, there is the discussion of world politics and commercialization playing key roles. In my mind, that can never be entirely avoided. China is making no bones about their effort to use these Games to elevate their position on the world stage. If they present their best face and play fairly both on and off the field then, I think, everyone wins. There are only a few days left in this spectacle and I trust that when it’s over, we all feel closer to and better about one another. I know the athletes will.
Until tomorrow,Dan Mc
Posted by Dan McConnell on August 21, 2008 9:06 AM Permalink
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