China will allow broadcasters to beam live pictures from Tiananmen Square and the capital's streets during the Beijing Olympics, reversing a decision to delay broadcasts.

U.S. and European rights-holders had voiced concern that delays to broadcasts would give Chinese authorities the ability to censor them. The delay was announced in March after riots broke out in Tibet protesting Chinese rule.

"It's a simple answer: you can do live broadcast from the streets of Beijing and also at Tiananmen Square," Sun Weijia, director of the Beijing organizing committee's media department, said in the Chinese capital today.

China pledged to allow about 22,000 accredited Olympic journalists to report freely at the Games as part of its bid to host the event. Human rights groups have questioned the fulfillment of that promise.

Beijing's organizing committee today repeated a pledge to offer unrestricted Internet access to journalists covering the Aug. 8-24 Games.

"We recognize that full Internet access is very important in the reporting of the Games," Sun Weide, deputy director for media and communications, said. "Full Internet access will be offered to all foreign journalists in all the major Olympic venues. Your coverage won't be affected."

Web Sites

China bans gambling as well as pornographic and anti- government material from the Internet by blocking access to Web sites, including that of human rights group Amnesty International.

China last year implemented a new media law to ease restrictions on foreign journalists. According to Human Rights Watch, media controls have become worse over the past year on topics including Tibet and anti-government protests.

Officials have often ignored the lifting of restrictions, particularly since March demonstrations in Tibetan areas, the New York-based group said in a report yesterday. The report also faulted the International Olympic Committee for failing to press China harder on media issues.

Tiananmen Square in central Beijing was the site of a pro-democracy movement that was crushed by Chinese troops in 1989.