A team of eight Chinese TV stations has been assigned to produce international TV and radio signals for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games after a memorandum of cooperation was signed on Wednesday between them and the Beijing Olympic Broadcasting Co. Ltd.

According to the agreement, the eight contracted Chinese TV stations, including China Central Television (CCTV), Beijing TV, Guangdong TV, Jiangsu Broadcasting Station, Liaoning TV, Zhejiang TV, Tianjin TV and Shanghai Media Group will undertake the production of international TV and radio (ITVR) signals of seven sports at the 2008 Olympics. The sports include table tennis, badminton, modern pentathlon, soccer, basketball, volleyball and tennis.

It is the first agreement that BOB signed with TV production teams for the Beijing Games.

"It is the first time that Chinese TV stations participate in the production of ITVR signals for the Olympic Games on such a large scale," said Jiang Xiaoyu, chairman of BOB board.

"The Chinese TV industry can benefit from playing a growing role in the production of ITVR signals for the Olympics and through the efforts, the industry can further improve its production level to a new height," he added.

At last year's Athens Olympics, CCTV produced ITVR signals of table tennis, badminton and modern pentathlon events for the host broadcaster.

In order to fulfill the mission, more than 600 Chinese TV crew will work at 19 competition venues during the 2008 Games.

"We will encourage more Chinese TV stations to get involved in the Olympic signal production to cover more sports," said Jiang, who is also executive vice-president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Games (BOCOG).

To ensure quality broadcasting of the 2008 Games, an Olympic Broadcasting Committee was set up in May. The committee has been working on policies and procedures regarding entry-exit, customs, taxation, working permit and frequency coordination for the Olympic broadcasters to secure a smooth working condition for them.

(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2005)