Olympic planners met in Beijing yesterday as the Games broadcasting company, which will reach 4 billion people, was officially launched.

The third meeting of the Coordination Commission for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad was held in Beijing yesterday.

About 40 representatives from the International Olympic Committee's Co-ordination Commission, led by chairman Hein Verbruggen, met the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) to discuss preparations, such as the sports, marketing, finance, construction, services, media operations and broadcasting.

Representatives from the Athens Olympic Games were also expected to share their experiences.

"We hope to work with the BOCOG for a successful Olympic Games in 2008," said Giselle Davies, IOC director of communications.

During the weekend, IOC President Jacques Rogge will also visit Beijing. He is scheduled to meet President Hu Jintao.

Before the conference, the first board meeting of the Beijing Olympic Broadcasting (BOB) Corporation Limited was held yesterday, marking the formal start of broadcasting activities for the Beijing Olympics.

Jiang Xiaoyu, vice-president of BOCOG, was named the new company's chairman of the board, while Verbruggen was named vice-chairman. Chief Executive Officer of the IOC Olympic Broadcasting Services SA Manolo Romero will act as general manager.

As the host broadcaster of the 2008 Olympic Games, BOB will provide signals for broadcasters from all over the world, build and operate the International Broadcast Centre and the necessary broadcast facilities in other venues, and provide related services during the Beijing Olympic Games.

By 2008, it will employ about 4,000 people. More than 4 billion viewers and listeners are expected to watch or listen to Olympic broadcasts.

(China Daily October 28, 2004)