The traditional World Press Briefing (WPB) has begun in Sochi to present plans for hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and to familiarize journalists with the range of services available to the press at Sochi 2014. The WPB is taking place between 6th 9th November 2012. Over 300 media representatives from 30 countries around the world have come together at briefing, including journalists from the leading Russian and international agencies print publications and non-rights holding television channels. A total of 2,800 accredited press are expected to attend the Games in Sochi. The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee used the event to tell the heads of the sports delegations and journalists about the way their work will be organized at the Games, while also provide a briefing on the opportunities and services that will be available to accredited media at Sochi 2014.
The event is also attended by representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Olympic Committees, National Paralympic Committees, the international sports federations and the Pyeongchang 2018 Organizing Committee from South Korea, that is hosting the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games following Sochi 2014.
The World Press Briefing traditionally serves as a forum for planning the work of the press at the Games. All Olympic and Paralympic Games host cities hold similar events to ensure the media have a clear understanding about the Games and are able to be fully prepared for their work come Games-time.
The media organisations attending the WPB included the New York Times, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, CNN, FOX, AP, AFP, Reuters, Bloomberg, Xinhua, and also RIA Novosti, ITAR-TASS, "Sovetsky Sport", "Sport-express", and the "Kommersant" publishing house. Staff from the main dedicated online sports portals in Russia - sportbox.ru and championat.com - also attended the briefing.
Press accreditation for the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi began on October 8, 2012. A total of 2,800 journalists will be able to obtain accreditation for them - as many as for the Turin Games in 2006 and the Vancouver Games in 2010. The quota for each specific country is set by the IOC.
