Shenzhen Universiade News Service to meet Olympic standard

Updated: 2011-08-10 18:14

(Xinhua)

SHENZHEN - The 570-strong Shenzhen Universiade News Service Team (UNS) has fully geared up to provide Olympic standard support to more than 3,000 journalists, UNS Director General He Huifei told Xinhua here Wednesday.

"This is the first time for a UNS to meet Olympic stardard," He said. "In a sense, we are making history."

"Our team includes 53 foreign experts and 40 of them served last year's Guangzhou Asiad," he said, adding,"Most of the Chinese experts are from the Beijing Olympic News Service Team."

Most of the working staff are selected from universities and have been trained for at least two months, he said.

So far, more than 3,000 journalists from 331 media organizations worldwide have been accrediated to the Shenzhen Universiade which will run from August 12 to August 23.

Among them, there are more than 340 foreign journalists coming from 47 countries and regions.

Australian David Killick, the UNS chief editor, said that some of the UNS staff had worked for both Beijing Olympics and Guangzhou Asiad and that they had never seen such a high standard news service for a Universiade.

After the opening ceremony, each stadium will have one or two foreign sport reporting experts who will lead the well-trained UNS reporters to provide services including previews, comments and flash quotes.

He said that the UNS will file at least 410 stories in English and Chinese everyday.

Chang Jie, a Zhongshan University student, said that she is proud of being a UNS reporter covering cycling.

"My working place is outdoor. Maybe I will stand in the heat or rain for one or two hours just for catching a few words of an athlete," she said.

"But I think it deserves," she noted.

About Shenzhen

Shenzhen is located at the southern tip of the Chinese mainland on the eastern bank of the mouth of the Pearl River and neighbors Hong Kong.

The brainchild of Deng Xiaoping, the country's first special economic zone was established here by the Chinese Government in 1980. It has been a touchstone for China's reform and opening-up policy since then.