http://nz.entertainment.yahoo.com//080709/5/6myg.html

Broadcasters free to go live from Beijing during Games: IOC

Broadcasters, some of which pay billions of dollars for Olympic rights, had complained that China had not been forthcoming with licenses to allow live transmissions during the August 8-24 Games and had tied up other processes with red tape.

Rights-holding broadcasters, which include NBC and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), met with Beijing organizing committee (BOCOG) officials on Wednesday to try and resolve the issues.

"We welcome the confirmations given today by BOCOG to broadcasters that they will be able to report and broadcast via satellite from around the city," said International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s communications director Giselle Davis.

Another area of conflict between the broadcasters and the organizers was over access to Tiananmen Square, the site of the bloody crackdown on the 1989 democracy movement.

"Particularly pleasing is the fact that all broadcasts -- both rights holders and non-rights holders -- will be able to record interviews, reports and packages unrestricted from Tianamen Square," Davis added.

There will, however, be restrictions on when broadcasting will be allowed from Tiananmen Square.

"Whilst we understand there may be frustrations on the part of some broadcasters that they cannot transmit live around the clock from Tiananmen Square, we recognize that this iconic location is much in demand ... and that consequently, some time constraints for live access were needed to be given by the Chinese hosts."

China has promised to give media the same right to report as they enjoyed at previous Games since winning the right to host the Olympics in 2001.

Reporting restrictions were loosened under regulations issued at the start of last year and due to expire after the Olympics and Paralympics.

Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Monday that China had breached its pledge on media freedom and reporters working in China still report obstruction and harassment.

(For more stories visit our multimedia website "Road to Beijing" at http://www.reuters.com/news/sports/2008olympics; and see our blog at http://blogs.reuters.com/china)