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Journalists Banned From Using Smartphones At 2014 Sochi Olympics?
First time accepted submitter SlongNY writes in with a story that journalists may be banned from taking photos or videos with smartphones at the 2014 Olympics. "'Journalists using mobile phones to film athletes or spectators will be considered a serious violation and will result in cancellation of accreditation,' said Vasily Konov, head of the state-run R-Sport news agency, which controls accreditation at the games. According to Buzzfeed, Mr. Konov later denied that he had said the ban was in place. Radio Free Europe, however, also reported him as saying the same thing."
The Olympic Committee has been pushing for YEARS that they be the sole source of any information, media or other materials originating from the events. It's only a matter of time before they ban external reporters altogether and simply provide their own press releases throughout the days from their own staffers.
Don't park drunk, accidents cause people.
There's a difference between taking photos or video, and just posting text to social media. This sounds like a court type of thing, where cell phones are allowed but taking photos/video is not.
If independent footage comes out, R-sport doesn't get paid for it. Gotta have that cash.
Seems like they might be seeing what they can get away with on the international stage before the official rules come into public scrutiny.
In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
NBC wants it taped delayed covage to have good ratings
Having lived through the 2010 games in Vancouver, I can fully believe this story. The corporations behind the Olympics answer to no-one, and respect only the laws that they create for themselves.
Local customs and laws, charters, and regulations are ignored or flouted without so much as a "Sorry," and the great armies of renta-cops rule the roost.
Three Squirrels
What can go wrong with a Russian occupied war zone 20km south in Abkhazia, 200 km from a civil war zone in Chechnya, in a country run by a KGB trained despot who hates homosexuals, with no phones, and no outside communications? Ought to be a real party.
an ill wind that blows no good
It's the host country's responsibility to ensure the billions of dollars in exclusivity rights' value is not diluted via unauhorized production.
Witness UK's 00 agents neck-snapping unauthorized shop owners within 200 miles of London who put "Enjoy the Olympics!" signs in their windows.
This is, after all, a private, commercial enterprise.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Was that your homework assignment for a rhetoric class or do you actually go around talking like that while people quietly wish you would go somewhere else?
I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
...except by credential reporters who have singed an NDA while strip searching the spectators...
Altogether now, key of E flat, ... "Proust in his first book wrote about wrote about, Proust in his first book wrote about...".
This is about money and without money the Olympics will not survive.
Look at it this way, the hosting country is signing on for the following:
1. Massive infrastructure build.
2. Massive security costs. Thanks PLO and others.
3. Massive costs for accommodations and food.
4. Massive costs for transportation.
Add all that together and then realize that it all has to be recouped within the few weeks of the Olympics. It is easy to see why the IOC is very watchful of people infringing on their income streams. If you want the Olympics to continue the broadcast rights need to be worth paying for.
TFA states that journalists can still use proper photography gear. This is likely to expand the loop between shooting and publishing so it can go through channels, which is kinda censorship-ish and creepy.
Although, this quote then makes absolutely no sense:
"Organizers won't be able to have any effect on normal spectators, but supporters will be banned from bringing reflex cameras and nonprofessional equipment to the competitions," Konov added.
"Reflex" cameras, as he calls them, are DSLRs (Digital Single Lens REFLEX), which *are* professional equipment, so methinks he doesn't know what he's talking about.
Assuming he got his jargon wrong and DSLRs are allowed, I do like the unintended consequence of increasing the overall artistic and technical quality of the photography. Smartphone cameras are shit.
Wake me up when someplace civilized is hosting.
This has nothing to do specifically with smartphones... they aren't allowing any "non-professional" media recording devices for the media. They obviously can still tweet/text/call at the events. It's the same as telling your fast food employees not to take pictures of customers food in the back with their cell phones. If they pull put a professional camera it looks better and nobody would complain. This isn't news, move along...
There is everything wrong with this. With recording as with all things, handsome is as handsome does. I have a photojournalist friend, recently returned from Afghanistan, whose primary camera is a little Canon point-and-shoot. You could scoff and talk about Good Enough, except that he's used a similar camera to provide a nice two page spread in Vanity Fair. Yes, he also walks around with a vintage Leica pano camera and a few other bits of exotic kit as well, but when it comes to getting shots, sometimes the best camera is the one you have in your hand.
Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
Journalists that don't have a reporting permit for the gear they bring, including amateur *and* pro gear, will be kicked out and lose their permits for the rest of the event. Athletes and athlete helper staff will not be allowed to record anything at all, even for study/training/re-evaluation purposes. Anyone caught recording "behind the scenes" stuff will be kicked out as well. This is total censorship for anyone that has a chance to be in places other than the public stands.
I was promised a flying car. Where is my flying car?
Isn't the classic line about how to get the best shots "F5 and be there"? One infers that having a camera at the time was assumed.