IOC president praises CMG's inspiring Olympic coverage

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry has praised China Media Group (CMG) for its "powerful" coverage of Olympic events, highlighting the broadcaster's role in telling compelling Olympic stories that resonate with vast audiences.

Coventry was in China to attend the opening ceremony of the country's 15th National Games in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, on November 9. Just hours before the official start of the Games, CMG and the IOC signed a long-term media rights agreement for upcoming editions of the Olympics from 2026 to 2032.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with CMG in Beijing on Wednesday, Coventry emphasized the significance of the partnership, as well as CMG's contributions to expanding the global reach of the Olympic Games.

"I think the figures speak for themselves, right? CMG helped the Olympic Games of Paris reach [hundreds of millions of] people here in China and beyond. And those are such important numbers," said the IOC president.

According to CMG, its coverage of the Paris Olympic Games and related news reached a total audience of 1.05 billion people. The number of views and readings across all CMG media platforms totaled nearly 77 billion, while television viewership surpassed 39.8 billion.

Beyond viewership data, Coventry further emphasized that CMG's innovative approach to storytelling and presentation.

"But you wouldn't have the numbers if you don't have an incredible product. And the product that CMG are creating is very powerful. It's not just the athletes' results, it's the athletes' stories. It's showcasing the best of humanity, winning, losing. Those things of getting back up and trying again. All those soft skills that I think is, as humans, we relate to. And CMG has been doing a really great job of telling those stories and getting people to connect," she said.

As CMG's success inspires media organizations in other parts of the world, Coventry, expressed optimism that the ongoing exchange of ideas would lead to even deeper cooperation and more impactful Olympic coverage in the years ahead.

"A number of our broadcasters are learning from that and focusing in on that. And this is again another area where we're all learning together and we're growing together and will continue to create a stronger and stronger partnership," she said.

IOC president praises CMG's inspiring Olympic coverage

The operational efficiency of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in south China's Guangdong Province has greatly improved following the launch of a new terminal and a new runway one month ago.

The airport officially put into operation its Terminal 3 and fifth runway on October 30, making it China's first civil airport to operate five commercial runways.

Terminal 3 features a range of self-service facilities, including check-in kiosks, automated baggage drop systems, and smart security screening equipment, which have greatly streamlined passenger processing.

Since its opening, five airlines have shifted their domestic operations to Terminal 3, which now handles an average of 158 flights and about 26,000 passengers daily.

"Compared with Terminal 1, both the number of staffed counters and self-service kiosks of Terminal 3 have increased significantly, greatly reducing the average check-in time for passengers. For domestic direct flights, the entire check-in process can be completed in a minimum of one minute," said Shi Mengyao, a staffer with the ground service department of the Guangdong branch of China Eastern Airlines.

Beyond efficiency improvements, the terminal also includes an observation deck that offers travelers panoramic views of the airfield.

"Since its opening, the observation deck attracts over 3,000 visitors per day on average, with total visits exceeding 100,000 to date," said Luo Li, deputy general manager of a terminal management company at Baiyun International Airport.

The airport's expansion also marks another step toward building a world-class airport cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

"The airport's expansion not only consolidates the Greater Bay Area as an aviation hub connecting China with the world, but also helps lower logistics costs within the area, promote the free flow and efficient allocation of economic resources, and enhances the area's capacity for global resource allocation," said Li Jing, chief planner with the Guangdong Provincial Department of Transport.

New terminal, runway boost operational efficiency of airport in Guangzhou