Tokyo 2020 announces free internet for journalists and photographers

Tokyo 2020 announces free internet for journalists and photographers
Fecha de publicación: 
6 September 2018
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Free cabled internet and Wi-Fi access will be available to all journalists in all venues at Tokyo 2020, marking a first for an Olympic and Paralympic Games, it has been announced.

The innovative technology infrastructure, known as the "Press Network", was announced here at the Tokyo 2020 World Press Briefing.

"The Press Network will provide every press tabled tribune position, every primary photo position in venues, as well as the Venue Media Centres and the Main Press Centre with cabled internet," organisers said.

"This access to the Press Network will be provided by Tokyo 2020 free of charge for all accredited press.

"The Press Network will be supported by robust Wi-Fi in all press areas in all venues, also free of charge."

Anthony Edgar, the head of media operations at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), recognised the role of the International Sports Press Association and its President Gianni Merlo in reaching this landmark.

"The internet is now free at the Olympics," he said.

"It has been at the [FIFA] World Cup for quite some time and there’s been a number of people very much supporting his (Gianni Merlo's) stance of bringing free internet to the Olympic Games."

Edgar also hailed the role of multi-award winning sports photographer Bob Martin, who has been consulting for the IOC looking at Tokyo 2020.

"I will say that the Press Network being introduced here is very innovative, again following the FIFA example, but it’s very innovative when you look at the number of venues we had deliver," he said.

"That idea was Bob Martin’s.

"Bob came to me with an idea of how we could do something innovative at the Olympic Games.

"We then went to IOC technology, we sat down with them and went through a lot of different things.

"We also sat down with Tokyo technology and he just changed completely the way it’s going to be delivered."

Edgar also highlighted how things have changed in a relatively short space of time, given that the Olympic Stadium was the only venue cabled with internet at Beijing 2008.

"It’s 10 years ago and there was only one," he added.

"Now, every single tribune seat and every single photo position in every single venue has free internet.

"A photographer can go to any position, plug-in and basically send from camera to New York."

The IOC and Tokyo 2020 also announced that along with the Press Network, there would be an additional cabled network for major news agencies.

This will be known as Press Plus, replacing the old agency VLAN, and would be a paid service.

Other Tokyo 2020 announcements include that of professional remote interpretation being made available for every press conference in all venues.

Furthermore, all press conferences will now be streamed on the Games INFO system, meaning media will be able to watch on their laptop or phone from any venue, live or delayed.

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