Beijing 2008 - Press Accreditation Procedure

The overall press quota for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will be 5,600. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) notified all NOCs of their respective press accreditation quota allocation in August 2006. The NOC is responsible for the allocation of its quota for journalists and photographers within its territory, in accordance with IOC guidelines.

Please be aware that each NOC will have its own specific deadlines by which media requesting accreditation must make their application to their NOC. ISAF is aware that many NOCs have set deadlines before the end of 2006.

All members of the written and photographic press who have not yet applied for accreditation and wish to cover the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition, should contact their relevant NOC as soon as possible.

Click here to view the list of NOCs – including contact details – on the IOC website.

There is a dedicated page on the IOC website with all relevant press accreditation information and timelines, which will be constantly updated in the lead up to Beijing 2008.

Click here to view the press accreditation page.

Written And Photographic Press

There is a Two-Stage Accreditation Process - involving the Press by Number process followed by the Press by Name process. This will start on 1 March 2007, two months earlier than the Athens timeline. Media wanting to obtain accreditation for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games should contact their relevant NOC in order to apply for accreditation before this date. Please note that individual NOCs might stop accepting applications before 1 March 2007, so it is imperative that press contact their relative NOC as soon as possible.

On 1 March 2007 the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XIX Olympiad (BOCOG) will distribute the Press by Number forms and related publications, such as the Press Accommodation Guide, Freight and Shipping Guide, Rate Card and Media Information Guide to all NOCs.

By this date each NOC will have allocated its press quota to the main media organizations and will then forward the accreditation forms and related publications to those organizations. Completed forms must be returned by the NOC to BOCOG by June 2007.

The Press by Name process will start in November 2007 when each press organization must identify their individual team members and notify the NOC no later than February 2008.

Click here to view Written and Photographic Press key dates

Non-rights holding Radio And Television Broadcasting Companies

Non-rights holding radio and/or television broadcasting organizations who would like to report on the news aspect of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, may be eligible for a non-rights holding accreditation (ENR). This accreditation category will give restricted access (all competition venues, without equipment, and access to the Main Press Centre with equipment) as defined in the IOC News Access Rules.

If you fall into this category and you are interested in being considered for accreditation at the Olympic Games in Beijing, you should consult the IOC website www.olympic.org in March 2007 when the ENR application form will be available.  The deadline for applying will close in June 2007. The ENR organizations will have full responsibility to apply to the IOC for accreditation within the required timelines. Late requests will not be considered.

Click here to view Non-Rights Holding Radio and Television Broadcasting Companies key dates

Categories Of Accreditation

The Internet or any other communication medium are to be considered within the NOC quota and are subject to the same professional standards as other E accredited persons.

The categories of accreditation will be the same as recent Games:

E - Journalist
Es - Sport Specific Journalist
EP - Photographer
EPs - Sport Specific Photographer
ET - Technician
EC - MPC Support Staff
ENR - Non-rights holding broadcast organization

An Ex and EPx category will also be allocated for the local press in the co-host cities, including Qingdao where the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition will take place. These Ex and EPx accreditations will be an exclusive own sport venue access and will not offer access to any venue, including the MPC, in Beijing.

The IOC will also work closely with the NOCs and International Federations throughout the press accreditation process in order to maximize the opportunities for specialist media to cover their sports at the Games, especially in the co-host cities.

Written And Photographic Press key dates

August 2006
The International Olympic Committee informs each NOC about the number of accreditation quotas it has received.

25-29 September 2006
First World Press Briefing, Beijing

September 2006–February 2007
The media wanting to obtain accreditation for the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 should apply during this period contacting the relevant NOC in order to apply for accreditation.

March 2007
The Organising Committee for the Beijing Olympic Games (BOCOG) sends the Press by Number forms to NOCs

June 2007
The NOCs must send the completed Press by Number Forms back to BOCOG. 

November 2007
BOCOG sends the Press by Name accreditation application manuals and forms to NOCs

February 2008
The NOCs have to return the completed Press by Name accreditation forms to BOCOG.

May 2008
BOCOG Accreditation Department starts the distribution of Olympic Identity and Accreditation Cards (OIACs)

8-24 August 2008
Games of the XXIX Olympiad, Beijing

Non-Rights Holding Radio and Television Broadcasting Companies key dates

March 2007-June 2007 
Interested non rights holding organisations should complete the ENR application form online

8 June 2007  
Deadline for ENR applications

July 2007
The International Olympic Committee will contact each ENR that applied for accreditation and will inform them whether they have been selected for accreditation and how many accreditations they will receive. Unsuccessful companies will also be contacted.

The IOC will also send the News Access Rules and Undertaking document to the selected organisations.  The Undertaking must be signed and returned to the IOC. Without this signed document, the company will not receive the Press by Name form.  The rules will also be posted on the IOC website.

8 September 2007                
Deadline for successful ENR organisations to sign the Undertaking

November 2007        
BOCOG to send the Press By Name forms to ENR Organisations who have signed the Undertaking

8 February 2008
Deadline to return the Press By Name form in order to receive the Olympic Identity and Accreditation Card (OIAC)

May 2008
BOCOG Accreditation Department starts the distribution of Olympic Identity and Accreditation Cards (OIACs)

8-24 August 2008
Games of the XXIX Olympiad, Beijing