From: pk99nom@pga.ts.com (Pal K.)
Subject: Re: Yes. CCTV is TOOOOOOO GOOD!
Reply-To: pk99nom@pga.ts.com (Pal K.)
Organization: Unknown
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 17:49:13 GMT

In article <liang.713563446@ash.cs.scarolina.edu> liang@cs.scarolina.edu (Da Dong Liang) writes:
>I would rank those news agencies as BBC, NHK, XINHUA, CCTV, RM, RK, VOA, VFC,
>and NBC. ;(  

Your rating of the media really surprised me. I guess your conclusion
is based on your emotion, not a objective analysis. I resent NBC
very much for its coverage of this year's olympic game. And I do think
the news media here often blow things up out of proportion. However,
if you engage a objective comparison between CCTV/RMRB to any major
American TV network or PBS or major newspaper (excluding those
tabloids), you will see your rating is not a sounding one.

First, unless some international affairs involved, American news
media in general don't cover things up for their governments. Quite
often they do the opposite.

Second, American media are driven by financial considerations, not
by political presures. The governments have much less control to
them than Chinese government does. This provides that at least
the media here is much less likely doing propaganda for US government.

Third, the competition among media make any special interest group
unable to monopoly what is said. Unlike US media, most Chinese media,
like RMRB and CCTV here firmly controlled by CCP, it has to say
what it is told to be said.

If there are some international affairs involved, American news media
could be as biased as media in any country, especially when there is
a conflict of interests between US and another country. This is only
normal.  What I feel very uncomfortable is NBC totally forgot what the
basic meaning of olympic games, and they turned such a game to be a
barbarious ugly duel among nations. If there is such a need in the
general public, they should at least serve the audience in a more
subtle, gentleman-like mannor. NBC has made American delegation
to the game look like a bunch of McKenroes to spoil the taste
of sports.

But in general, NBC is far better than CCTV. (Thanks to the press
freedom in this country I can still be reminded what CCTV is like
each week.)

>Exactly. I watched a tape produced by Taiwan TV which only showed policemen
>without guns kicking the protestors. On CCTV, I saw a large amount of troops
>with rifles storm out of Forbidden City. In fact, CCTV showed more detail
>than other networks. Of course, the emphasis are different. That is a tricky
>part of media. Every one makes its own version of an event.

Really, did CCTV shows policemen beating protestors? I WAS in China
then, what don't I remember such scene been shown on CCTV?

>>	I am not suggesting that CCTV was better than NBC or any other cable
>>channels in covering 6.4.  The point is, any news media is biased, to a less
>>or greater extent. 

Well, you failed to mention the foundamental differences between
these media. Still remember this principal? "[Chinese] news media
are throats and tongues of the Party." Where is people's throats
and tongues? they've been cut, of course.

>>	I would say, if the people on mainland is fooled by CCTV, you are
>>fooled by the medium here.  People who experienced the event know better
>>than you, who just happened to be in front of a TV screen.           

Not necessary. I wouldn't say people in China are fooled by CCTV.
Only those who are willing to be fooled are fooled. You may watch CCTV
but don't believe a word, as I know quite a few people do. By
the same token, people in here are not necessarily fooled by news
media. One more reason: here more than one voice are aired. (In
the case of Tiananmen massacre, people here can see CCTV's coverage
as well as RMRB's.)

>>	Back to Olympic, I do think CCTV's coverage is less biased than NBC's
>
>Agree. Average people are trapped by media without mercy. We just can't 
>afford to have a personal observation on what's going on on this world.
>Pity!

I agree that CCTV may be more objective on sports :-) But don't be
too emotional to embrace CCP's propaganda. And I suggest you to
watch PBS more often, sincerely. PBS may not be perfect, but it
is more informative.