Battle of the Olympics, part3 - Sohu

This is part 3 of a 4 part report. The previous, part 2, is here:

http://chinese-net-gaming-stock.blogspot.com/2007/09/battle-of-olympics-part2-sina.html

Now that Sina announced its Olympics strategy, not to be outdone, Sohu announced its Olympic strategy the next working date (9/10/2007):

See the following article for more details,

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252064832.shtml

Back to this particular news conference, there are a lot of articles on this. I will give a short summary for each of them.

First, the CEO of Sohu talks:

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252069598.shtml

Sohu’s Olympics team will consist of 703 reporters. Of which 300 will be reporting inside the Olympics. It is the only internet company that is allowed inside the Olympics village.

Next, the CFO of Sohu talks:

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252063423.shtml

The Executive of Sohu talks:

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252065346.shtml

In addition to sports related, Sohu will have 48 Olympics related products that is not sports-related. It will cover 16 categories. Example includes Olympics spirits, environment protection for the Olympics, technology used by the Olympics, etc.

Next, it is vice CEO of Sohu:

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252063717.shtml

Sohu is like regular army while others have to conduct gorilla warfare. Therefore, Sohu’s reporting will be comprehensive while others can only provide niche reporting. Sohu’s coverage will cover everything Olympics related, not just sports.

Vice Department head for the Sports Department of Sohu:

http://2008.sohu.com/20070911/n252070070.shtml

Some exclusive right:

- Interview with Olympics winners: Only CCTV and Sohu have this right.

- Interview with Olympics athletes: Others might be able to interview certain athletes because they have sponsoring deal with that particular sports. Sohu can interview pretty much any athletes.

- Station in Olympics village. Other reporters stays in the Olympics Reporter village. But as the official Olympics Internet website developer, Sohu is able to station in the Olympics village. It gives Sohu more opportunity to report Olympics Village related news.

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252069118.shtml

The above Sohu article declare that Sohu will not monopolize the reporting of Olympics. An example will be NBC is the official TV for the Olympics. But ABC or CBS won’t accuse NBC as monopolize the TV.

But probably the most important people are not Sohu’s big shots. The most significant speakers are the big shots from government officials. The government big shots in the press conference are the vice-chairman of the Beijing Olympics Committee, the director for the department of marketing and business of the Beijing Olympics Committee, the director of International Business of CCTV, and the director of Internet of CCTV.

It is not even what they said but their presence speaks volumes of which side they are on.

The director for the department of marketing and business of the Beijing Olympics Committee talks:

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252064596.shtml

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252068885.shtml

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252063989.shtml

http://2008.sohu.com/20070910/n252069108.shtml

She said other internet companies have no right to promote Olympics or to conduct Olympics related business. Beijing Olympics Committee will protect Sohu’s right and prohibit other internet companies’ “hidden marketing” of Olympics. Use of any Olympics slogan or signs is prohibited.

For example, Beijing Olympics Committee found Sina conduct an activity called “Olympics Pilot Selection Online Poll” before. It was not allowed.

Video:

http://s.sohu.com/20070911/n252069824.shtml

From the video, many Chinese Olympic officials participated in this announcement. Two heavy hitters from the Beijing Olympics Committee gave speeches.

The vice-chairman of the Beijing Olympics Committee gave a speech:

http://s.sohu.com/20070910/n252062666.shtml

The director of the department of business and marketing of the Beijing Olympics Committee gave a speech:

http://s.sohu.com/20070910/n252062912.shtml

Next, I will talk about my thought on this subject.