Ever watch CCTV? The Beijing based version of CNN Headline News? China's attempts to compete globally in the TV News game resemble some sort of Bizzarro-world cloning operation designed to mimic the very worst aspects of CNN. Although certain permitted surprises abound (some self-criticism about pollution and cultural preservation, plus a lot of Wild Kingdom style "environmental" documenataries, the meat on this media bone consists mostly of quick sound bites from live reporters on site in foreign capitols. The scary part is they seem to back up the most outrageous myths and lies of the "West". The Boston Bombers are the right culprits. Bin Laden did 911. The just parrot any part of the Western scenario that they seem to agree with without looking like traitors to the Chairman. Revolts within China are dismissed as "terrorists" and hordes of "domestic security forces" are seen rolling tanks through troubled areas. There's no discussion whatsoever of the actual reasons for the rebellions. CCTV is always mentioning "the internet" as if it's the same internet we have. It isn't by a longshot. Bill Gates and Google made sure of that a long time ago. Every site and URL must be approved by a special branch of government. Anything "controversial" is banned on their version of the WWW. But they smile and talk about Facebook and social networking as if everyone in China is tuned into the entire planet through cyberspace. It's all a front. But other things are revealed on this network that were not necessarily planned. With zillions of citizens, China is bound to have "rebellious" ones, human nature being what it is. Communism may program most as they grow up (and they start indoctrination early) but these are still Chinese people and a Stalin-like approach to their system would never work. This culture is 1000's of years old and there is still a strong resevoir of independence and creativity that isn't subject to propagandistic "guidelines" and rules. The one thing CCTV will never discuss on their many "roundtable" type plitical shows is Tibet. They'll cover a Tibetan art exhibit in Shanghai, and the protection of the endangered Tibetan Antelope, but you'll never see any real coverage of the awful way China has treated the spiritual center of their nation and the special folk who call it home. Don't even mention Buddah. The funniest thing is some of the horribly-gone-wrong cosmetic "Westernized" eye-surgeries that some TV Newscasters and Weatherpersons have gotten in order to look more "Western" for the predominantly Western audience CCTV caters to. Like some Asian actors of old who worked in Hollywood used to do so we idiots here in America would "relate better" to them on screen without those "foreign eyes". So who is bringing CCTV to American shores anyway? The only American logo I ever see during station breaks in that of Time-Warner. Is CCTV better than CNN? Not really- but it does concentrate on foreign affairs to a much greater degree than either CNN or FOX. But is there any real alternative news value to this station? The answer is yes, but it's only about 20% of the whole affair. This station is mostly designed to convince us that communist China isn't all that different from the USA. And the reverse is true too? Is the USA really no different from Red China when it comes to controlling the flow of critical information? And FOX-style nastiness isn't foreign to CCTV either. Some guy last week was going on and on about how the Japanese were cannibals in WWII and that the Chinese would never eat human flesh for any reason. The sort of programming just guaranteed to cement Sino-Japanese relations forever. Like CNN and FOX there IS info there if you can read between the lines. It ain't easy either. |
Source: http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2013/06/423868.shtml
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