A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.
Olympics Coverage Gives NBC a Boost in Ratings
NBC's coverage of the first three days of the Summer Olympics proved to be immune from the trend of declining viewership for most forms of television programming, drawing nearly 27% more viewers than the corresponding period in the Athens Games four years ago, according to figures released Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research.
British Ticket Touts Defy Chinese Authorities
British scalpers are doing a roaring trade in black-market tickets at the Beijing Olympics despite efforts by the Chinese authorities to crackdown on their illegal activities.
Olympic Village Wins Award for ‘Green’ Design
The sprawling Beijing Olympic Village won its own gold medal on Wednesday for going green. U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson presented Chinese officials with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold award during a short ceremony, saying the 160-acre Olympic Village could serve as a future prototype for energy efficiency and environmentally friendly design.
Spanish Player Defends Controversial Photo
Players on Spain's Olympic basketball team defended a photo in an ad showing the players using their fingers to apparently make their eyes look more Chinese.
Beijing Fans Cheer During Tennis Points
Fans in Beijing find Olympic tennis so exciting they sometimes start applauding before a rally ends. Such behavior would be considered a grotesque breach of etiquette at, say, Wimbledon. "They're really getting into the whole tennis thing," top-seeded Roger Federer after his third-round win Wednesday. "They get excited for different reasons here in China, it seems like."
Beijing Protest Zones Lie Empty
So far there have been no reports of any legal protest in the zones, with those applying uniformly rejected or detained. The protest zones are a "masquerade," says Nicholas Bequelin, a Human Rights Watch spokesperson based in Hong Kong. "The police are either turning people down or arresting those who try."
Arab Network To Sample Flavor Of West During Dem Convention
An estimated 120 million households in 80 countries will get a selective snapshot of the West when Al Jazeera English network pays a visit to Golden for two days during the Democratic National Convention. "Our objective is to present a slice of mainstream America," said Julian Ingle, political program editor for Al Jazeera's Washington bureau.
Winning or Losing, the Hosts are Always Cheering
Whether or not the Chinese athletes are competing, fans of the host country have transcended their national sentiments to take delight in others' victories, by shouting "go, go" and applauding with their cheerleaders to pep up international players.
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