Media Regulations and the Olympic Charter: a history of visible changes.

Abstract

This article considers processes of change within the Olympic Charter, to better understand how the relationship between media and the Olympic Movement has evolved in time. As the media presence at the Games increased, along with the increase of TV rights revenues, the Olympic Movement was forced to address and redefine its requirements for, responsibilities towards and relationship with the media, itself in a period of great change. This paper focuses in particular on the development of Article 49 of the Olympic Charter. This is the clause which defines this relationship and discusses how changes brought about by technological advances and transformations of how journalists conduct their work influenced it and its development. The analysis draws on different editions of the Charter, the minutes of the IOC Executive Board Meetings from 1921 until 1975 and of the IOC Sessions from 1894 to 20002.