Faked footage used in opening ceremony broadcast

Millions of viewers watched ’faked’ footage of the Beijing opening ceremony after Games organisers sent digitally-enhanced pictures to international broadcasters, it has been revealed.

The TV feed provided by the host broadcasting agency to foreign channels, including the BBC, included non-live footage spiced up by computer-generated images and spliced into the coverage.

Beijing organisers have admitted that coverage of the part of the opening ceremony where there were 29 ’firework’ footprints across the city was pre-recorded rather than live, with some digital enhancement.

A BBC spokesman said: “I can confirm that the feed for the opening ceremony was provided, as for all broadcasters, by the host broadcaster and as such any digitally-enhanced footage questions would need to be directed to them.”

The reason given by the Chinese was that the poor visibility on Friday would have affected the view of the firework footprints.

Wang Wei, executive vice-president of the Beijing organising committee, said: “Previously recorded footage was provided to broadcasters for convenience and theatrical effects.

“There were 29 footprints for fireworks to the north and south of the city but because it was an overcast night some previously recorded footage may have been used.

“It would mostly have been genuine but there may have been previously recorded material as well.”