Credentials for the 2008 Olympics ... where to start?

RB,

I'm sure the deadline has passed and besides, papers who covered it the last time or longer would likely have better odds of receiving them before you.

I was also at the Turin Olympics and wound up freelancing some stories and did an occasional diary too for one paper. I did not have a credential as this opportunity came much too late (Dec. 2005) for the Olympics in Feb. 06.

What I did do, however, was two things. I contacted the USOC in Colorado Springs and they did what they could to help me contact one specific local athlete I did a story on before the Games started and during the Games. The other was that Turin had a secondary media center which was easy to apply for and receive a pass.

The Turin media center was located right by the Vancouver 2010 log cabin and most of the media there weren't necessarily Olympic journalists. It was a place where writers could file stories, of course, but they provided you with opportunities to see Turin from many perspectives including tours for wineries and chocolate and other uniquely Piedmont region sites, special events such as speakers like Turin's mayor and other current and former Olympians and famous faces. You could also see Olympic events on a big screen and they fed you constantly. Also, the press pass that I had allowed me to get into any museum in the city for free.

I went to six events live (hockey, curling, men's speedskating, luge) but I wrote stories for the diary on people at the events (inside the venues and outside) to provide something beyond the normal AP gamer and I had a blast.

Not sure if China will have something similar, but it might be a way to bring a unique perspective to readers or blog readers.

 

In case you are interested in 2010...