Accreditation Badge Pickup

Members of the working media who have been approved for accreditation to the BC International Media Centre can collect their accreditation badge before Games-time by visiting Robson Square from January 25 to 29 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (PST). Media badges will be available in room C245 on BCMC Level C. Please follow signs from the UBC Lobby.

Robson Square is located at 800 Robson Street (between Hornby and Howe). The UBC Lobby entrance is located on the west side of the GE Ice Plaza.

(Media badges will be available again beginning February 1, 2010 at BCMC registration).

Note: You must pickup your own badge and you must present valid picture ID to receive your badge.

Badges must be worn and clearly displayed at all times while at the BCMC.

BCMC Accreditation Policy:

The British Columbia International Media Centre (BCMC) at Robson Square Plaza in Vancouver will be open February 1, 2010 to February 28, 2010 to all journalists representing news organizations covering the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The Centre will provide working space for media who do not have an Olympic accreditation card from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – referred to as unaccredited media.

Unaccredited journalists include media professionals with journalistic status, including radio, television, print and online reporters, photographers and videographers wishing to cover events in Vancouver, Whistler, and British Columbia during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Obtaining an accreditation card to the BCMC will allow media to cover all events at the Robson Square Plaza, including press briefings, and will provide access to work spaces and the many services provided at the Centre. Accreditation will not allow media access to events at any official Olympic venue.

BCMC Application Procedure:

BCMC staff, or designated service suppliers, will assess accreditation applications for media wishing to gain access to the BCMC based on the criteria listed below. Media will not be permitted on-site without prior notice and acceptance by BCMC staff. To obtain credentials, media must prove employment and assignment by a recognized media outlet based on:

• A byline, in print or online, from a recognized media source (recognition will be authorized by the BCMC)
• Letter from assignment editor of a recognized media source (recognition will be authorized by the BCMC)
• Photo identification proving employment with a recognized media source (recognition will be authorized by the BCMC)
• Proof of employment (screen capture with byline) from a website in existence and defined as “covering related news” (recognition will be authorized by the BCMC)

Due to limited capacity, the BCMC will offer no more than 30 accreditation cards for online media. Online journalists wishing to obtain accreditation for the BCMC must submit detailed information about the website they provide content for, including, but not limited to, number of unique visitors and recent major events covered by the website. Applications for accreditation will be assessed by the BCMC on their individual merits.

Journalists meeting the required conditions will receive an electronic confirmation letter which must be presented to BCMC accreditation staff to obtain photo identification credentials. Accredited media will be able to claim their credentials beginning on January 25, 2010 at the Centre’s Robson Square location.

The B.C. International Media Centre will be a prime gateway for timely information and services, including transportation, technical assistance, Internet, and some catering and entertainment. We are unable to offer any expense assistance for visiting media.

Media not able to obtain accreditation at the BCMC will still have the opportunity to access a range of services provided at Games time. If media wish to cover Games-related activities remotely, they can do so by accessing the BCMC website, where up-to-the-minute information will be available around the clock in the form of live and archived news conferences, high-resolution photos, and news releases.

Contact Information For The British Columbia International Media Centre:

Notes on Accreditation:

• During the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, journalists who wish to use the BCMC should register according to the rules and regulations posted by the BCMC.
• Provide valid identification documents upon first entry to the BCMC and go through the security check.
• After completing the registration procedures and receiving a BCMC accreditation card and a journalist’s kit, you will be an accredited BCMC journalist and will be eligible for all BCMC services and events.
• If the photo provided through online registration does not meet BCMC requirements, you will be required to have another photo taken in the accreditation hall.
• We recommend that journalists wear the accreditation card whenever covering or reporting on events in Vancouver as well as in the BCMC.
• Accreditation for the BCMC closes November 30, 2009.

Notes on the BCMC website:

• Media unable to visit Vancouver during the 2010 Games, but still wishing to cover Games-related activities, will have the opportunity to do so remotely via the BCMC website: www.BCMediaCentre.ca.
• All news conferences and other events, including athlete appearances, taking place within the BCMC press theatre will be available in real time, live streaming video on the BCMC website.
• All partner news releases and advisories available to media within the BCMC will be posted in a timely fashion on the BCMC website.
• During the Games, the BCMC website will act as the prime source of information for media wishing to cover stories related to the Games as well as the Province of BC.
• Media using the BC International Media Centre are encouraged to monitor Twitter for up-to-the-minute information on events, athlete interview opportunities and other happenings at the BCMC.

I watched bits and pieces of coverage today and catching up tonight, so here are few notes along the way, …

Snowboard Half-pipe

Watching replays of Shaun White’s snowboard run and also watching video of him on skateboard half pipe, I am very impressed by the athleticism, imagination and enthusiasm displayed by the young, gangly redhead.  Kudos also to two-time medalist Danny Kass who scored his second Silver.

Markku Koski of Finland took Bronze while another Finn, world champion Antti Autti dropped to 5th.  Finland may be the best per capita Winter Olympians, – maybe.

The best Canada could muster was 11th with 2 other not making it past qualification. Now, I can’t do *anything* like those tricks, but 11th?  Seems Canada would do better considering the succes in related freestyle skiing disciplines and the prolifieration of snowboard culutre in Canada. Comments?

The American women carried the Snowboarding mojo into today with Gold (the funloving Hannah Teter) and Silver (the saucy Gretchen Bleiler) and SLC Gold Medalist finishing in 4th after a wee fumble on her 1st run and a crash on her 2nd run after enormous airs.  The rolling Norweigians scored another medal with Kjersti Buaas winning Bronze.  note: Maybe it is the Norweigians who are the best Winter Olympians?  Someone needs to do some math here.

This sport has evolved so fast since debuting in 1998, the riding is so good now and the bar is raising so fast.  17ft walls of pipe, 18th ft airs, linking 720, 900s, reversing 540s – form, style amplitude in spades – really unbelievable how much the sport improves each Olympics. Canadian women finished scattered in the 20s up to 15th.  This event was one my faves to watch in SLC 2002.

Like White, 19yr old Teter got a real-time victory lap to whatever they want as they ride down to claim the Gold Medal.  Whoa, can you write a funner ride?  What a thrill for those youngsters with so much in front of them (Tony Hawk is still an innovative skateboarder in late-30 so White could be doing both for decades still). Unbelievably, Hanah Teter rode so loose and smooth and high that she almost accidentally scored a higher score than her first run.

Long Track

Jeremy Jeremy Jeremy, … and even worse, 9th in the 500m (by the way, ESPN has Wotherspoon listed as USA) not even close and then an smiley American wins – couldn’t it have been veteran Shimizu or anyone?  Argh.  I dig the event and think doing the 2 races (the event is determined by the combined time of 2 runs) in one day is sensible though the racers may not like it.  Who’s the Canadian hope for 2010?

Biathalon

What a wild sport! and very popular in Europe.  Looks totally fun, like aerobic-paintball – the Russians dominated the women’s event though there are a lot of medals in this sport with different lengths and variations.  A Canadian Woman finished back in the pack with 3 penalties (i believe this means a missed shot requiring an extra km or so of skiing) – I’ll learn more about this sport.

Facilities

After much pre-games negative blather about not being finished in time, the facilities look great on TV – in particular the downhill ski hill was beauty and long track speed skating oval and cross country ski areas too.  I think being on the ground before hand, it is easy to see all the stuff not finished.  But, only the parts which appear on TV is *really* important (heh) and the rest of the “uncompleted” parts are draped over with bunting and decoration.

News Coverage

A note for my Olympic Flashback file: Once you are there, and the events are on, you are running on adrenaline and excitement and are just focused on the amazing sports in front of you and hardly aware of the rest of the commotion – you are in the center of the universe and the rest of the world is just taggin along.

That being said, I found the “big news stories” for Canada in 02 didn’t hit the street buzz as fast as it did the TV coverage.  Examples are both the Sale/Pelltier issue and the Wayne Smackdown – we were so caught up in events  that we didn’t know what was up for a day or two when the buzz got so huge and strangers stopped us to tell us how upset they were about the incident and we were like, “what?”, and then the Wayne incident was the buzz at the next game.

But, we were only catching a little bit of grating Bob Costas in the US-centric delayed coverage in the evening wrap up.  This time maybe different with more communiation abilities but who knows, public may travel faster on the ground.

The newsmedia doesn’t seem to like to create controversy, but sure likes covering any hullabaloo going on.  As such, the sensational story of the day is (duh) covered to death – like is the case the alleged Gretzky gambling conspirisy which is being blown WAY out of proportion.

I say, shut up already, let the courts do their business and the athletes tend to theirs and move on already!  Seeing Wayne being grilled by the same stupid questions over and over after he politely explains the situation and asks for questions about Team Canada Men’s Hockey and nobody can muster a hockey question, instead another inane gambling-related question.  Ashamed, these reporters should be ashamed and obliged to turn in their hack credentials and find a new profession with nothing to do with hockey, or interpersonal relations for that matter.

Luge

Women Luge too, several luges crashed which looks really unpleasant terrifying really. The sport would be fun for amateurs with some kind of easy-luge for beginners.

The track is tough with harsh corners and hard ice.  Really the sliding sports are better on TV then in person as the luges move so incredibly fast that you can hardly process what is going on and before you can blink they are rumbling down and around the next turn.

Some Canadians representing – Red Deer’s Regan Lauscher 25, Meaghan Simister 19, from Regina, the cool and tough Alex Gough 18, from Calgary. But the event is tense and ugly after a few wrecks and trouble in general.  Go Alex Gough!

Curling

The Curling tourney got underway today and I saw breifly…

- the Shannon Clyde Rink losing a defensive battle against Norberg of Sweden in a good game despite missing a team member to illness.

- the Newfoundlanders representing Canada curled well and beat Germany after falling behind 2-0 early.

These may be replayed in full later …

All for now,