BEIJING: China has already commenced preparations in the marketing and broadcasting of the Olympic Games which it will host in five years.

The marketing programme for the 2008 Olympic Games was launched in Beijing by IOC President Jacques Rogge and representatives of the city of Beijing and the Organising Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) recently. The marketing launch, attended by more than 600 Chinese and international business leaders, officials, potential sponsors and the media, was staged to outline the benefits of Olympic sponsorship and to explain the opportunities that exist to support the 2008 Olympic Games.

During the ceremony, Rogge and BOCOG President Liu Qi used an ancient Chinese key to unlock a door, symbolising the Beijing 2008 marketing opportunities for Chinese and international companies. After the official ceremony, the day continued with working sessions to explore the sponsorship and licensing programmes which will provide opportunities for sponsors from now until the end of the 2008 Olympic Games.

In addition, an agreement was signed by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and BOCOG to put into place the establishment of the Beijing Olympic Broadcasting (BOB) as the host broadcaster for the 2008 Games. OBS is a company created by the IOC to oversee the host broadcaster function for the Games, beginning in 2008.

The main responsibility of BOB as the host broadcaster is to provide the pictures and images of the Olympic Games as a service to all broadcast organisations around the globe which have purchased television and radio rights. For the 2008 Olympic Games, BOB will provide more than 3,500 hours of coverage to more than 200 rights-holding broadcast organisations.