Lui Wai Yin
The Media Center (梅地亞中心) is one of the most common places that reporters from different media organizations always visit, it provides computers with internet access, and some important press conferences are held there during the Two Sessions Conference.
The Media Center is divided into three main sections which allow mainland media, Hong Kong and Macao media, and foreign media groups to station. During the Two Sessions period, anyone entering the Media Center is required to check-in at the main entrance, and have all their belongings scanned by an X-ray machine.
The main function of the Media Centre is to serve and aid journalists and release the most updated information to them. The instructions that reporters ought to observe are clearly displayed at the Center. The ground floor of the Center has a modern and fashionable design, with lots of decorations hanging up on the walls, while the setting of the second floor is of more Chineseness.
The Media Center provides various publications for free, such as local newspapers like The Beijing News, People’s Daily, pamphlets and references books of China’s socio-economic development. Everyone can take as many as they want, and all this stuff is particularly useful for novice reporters to have a quick grasp of China.
Before the Conference getting started, all kinds of media practitioners would go to the first floor of the Center to get the Two Sessions press card which most of all rendered them an access to the Great Hall of the People and every Two-session venue.
During the period of NPC and CPPCC, the inner city, especially the Tiananmen Square area, had many road and pedestrian tunnel closures for security reasons, and reporters had to show their Two Sessions press card to all kinds of security officers in order to get through and reach their destination.
The Center’s ground floor provides replenishment and backup to reporters. Abundant electric sockets are available together with computers, internet access, printers and free Wifi for reporters to do reportage. A café with abundant seats there serves everyone free fruits, snacks, and drinks.
The Media Center also runs as a press release center, where most news information is dispatched. The prominence of the center is on the other hand manifested in the weight of the press conferences held there, such as the press conference of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDFC).
In line with the state policy on environmental protection and frugality, the Media Center during the Two Sessions period this time sent clear signals to visitors about how to help save the environment. It provided stickers for reporters to write their name on the water bottle so that the bottle could be reused as many times as possible.
Above all, the Media Center website is a starting point for doing reportage. Reporters are advised to check it out everyday for event schedule during the NPC and CPPCC period and keep themselves updated on what is expected in the coming days.
