TAFWA President Ron Bellamy has called for any feedback from journalists who covered the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene.   He is hoping to receive any opinions about the experience so as to improve the media conditions for future coverage from Hayward Field (most notably, the USATF meet will be held there in 2009 and 2011, and the Trials coming back to Eugene in 2012). 

To that end, Ron has started a discussion thread in the "discussion" section of the web site, which is password-protected for TAFWA members.  (For those looking to become members, please click on the "membership" tab above.)  Please remember that you have to be logged into your TAFWA account to view the appropriate discusion thread, titled "Note from TAFWA President:  Feedback from Eugene. "

"From my experience, a lot of what was provided was first-rate, not simply in comparison with other track and field championships, but with media treatment in other sports, such as the NBA finals or NCAA Final Four," Ron writes to the membership.  "The media work tent, the media food, the mixed-zone access all were better than I've seen.  It was good that Oregon set up the temporary staircase linking press row and the interview tent."

Ron also mentions a few areas of possible improvement -- to participate in the discussion thread that will be used to improve the experience for coming events in "Tracktown, U.S.A.," please log on the discussion page and click on the forum titled "Note from TAFWA President:  Feedback from Eugene. "

Another related note from the president:  those of you going to Beijing, please share that on the discussion board as well.   It might be good for members to know who'll be joining them for the Olympics, as not everyone who covered the Trials will be heading east in August.

John Meyer of the Denver Post received the organization's highest honor last week when he was awarded the Jesse Abramson Award for excellence in track and field writing.  The presentation of the honor was made during the annual TAFWA breakfast that was held in Eugene before Monday's session of the Olympic Trials.  Kudos go out to Nike and John Capriotti for sponsoring the event, which was well attended by journalists and those working the meet.

Also during the reception, it was announced that multi-events expert Frank Zarnowski will receive the FAST award for service in statistics.

Special guests at the breakfast were Bubba Thornton, U.S. men’s Olympic coach, courtesy of Jill Geer, USATF director of communications; Vin Lananna, director of track and field at the University of Oregon and co-chair of Eugene 08; and the three women who ran their way on to the U.S. Olympic team in the 100 meters: Muna Lee, Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams. 

For those who'll be filing stories from Beijing next month:  the Foreign Correspondents Club of China has created the Reporters' Guide to China during the run-up to the Olympics.  The document is based on input from experienced China-based journalists to help foreign media work more effectively and anticipate some of the challenges involved in reporting from China.

The publication includes summaries of the reporting environment in the country, as well as info about helpful resources including government contacts, local assistants in-country, travel tips while in China, and other tips for novitiates to the country.

The Foreign Correspondents Club of China represents the interests of the foreign news media in Beijing to the Chinese authorities and has working relations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Council, BOCOG, the Beijing municipal government, foreign governments and the IOC on various issues.

The NGO Human Rights Watch has also published a pocket guide for reporters planning to travel to China to cover the Olympics. It has been produced with the support of the Committee to Protect Journalists, and it gives advice to journalists on how to report in a largely closed country.  The handbook covers a number of key issues including risks and rights, safety tips, and details about Internet surveillance in China.