Tuesday, August 5, 2008

CNN's China bashing begins

No wonder the Chinese are angry with CNN. As part of its run-up to the Olympics, CNN has been running several negative stories. Yesterday, CNN ran a story about Western sports coaches who were unhappy with the "regimental demands" of the Chinese sports authorities on their participants. There was also a story about how bad the haze situation has become in Beijing and today, China came under criticism for its trade relations with Sudan. Sure, China's human rights records are pretty shameful but hey, can we leave politics aside and talk about sports? After all, the Olympics is about sports events. The Asia Wall Street Journal, in its Aug 4 edition, ran an editorial whacking China with purported criticism from reporters that they couldn't access "sensitive" sites like Amnesty International. Come on lah, if you are a sports reporter or a visitor, surely you won't be assessing such websites. Yes, we do not condone such cyber restrictions but it sounds like the "ang mores" (mat sallehs) are just not too happy with the Chinese Olympics.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Would CNN run such negative stories if a western nation ran the olympics? Its time for CNN to look at the olympics as a global event and not have a US biased agenda in hitting out at the Chinese. CNN, please be fair, honest and truthful. Be balanced, objective and truthful -- pillars of journalism.

OBJECTIVE

Anonymous said...

CNN...STOP GIVING US CRAP...ALL NEGATIVE STUFF...WHY IS IT THAT WHEN AN EASTERN NATION ORGANISES AND EVENT, THE CNN KEEPS ATTACKING...ITS TIME YOU PLAYED THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THE OLYMPICS. AFTERALL IT IS A SPORTING EVENT AND IT IS TIME YOU BE A GOOD SPORT THAN A BORN LOSER.

SORE LOSER

Because I Care said...

Ahhh... Speaking a double tongue!!

Your paper also do the same all year round! Bashing the opposition at every single opportunity... Ayo!

Meiyen said...

The foreign newscasters play on the negatives as they are embarrassed by China's fast pace in development and economy. They can't talk about the good. Look at how well china has managed the games and facilities so far. They just can't believe it! The Americans cannot believe! They know they they are slowly but surely looking their greatest nation in the world status to China.

Maybe we should all boycott CNN. I hope China will win more gold medals than USA at the games and we can all sing 'neh, neh, neh, neh, neh' to the the Kwailohs.

Atlasya said...

Whether China likes it or not, the Olympics are political in nature. All eyes of the world are on it right now, and if no one calls them out on their abuses etc, they will just take it as the world closing one eye and continue as per usual.

And I believe that CNN are only doing their job in reporting the truth, something that should be the ultimate tenet of journalism.

Okay, maybe they are taking it too far. But I just saw footage from China on Sky News, and it is blatantly obvious that the haze is still bad. Heck, it looks like our country during the haze darurat. Wouldn't it be irresponsible of CNN if they didn't call China out on that regardless of political agenda?

Anonymous said...

Datuk Wong, why are you so defensive on China’s behalf? I am surprised at your naivety when you preach on the mutual exclusiveness of politics and sports. Hello, which century are you in ? This is the only time countries like China can be made to answer for their abhorrent human rights practices and scant regard for world opinion. Don’t go around preaching the often repeated mantra that nobody believes in.

Unknown said...

I agree with because I care ..!!WCW talk about media bias ?!! give us a break

Unknown said...

China Watcher,

Chun Wai, You have got it right! If you read the news coming from the West, almost 90% are negative on China. CNN, is one of the main culprits. Some critics said that this is an opportune time to raise human right abuses in China but if the news continue to be bias....it gets boring, stale and repetitive. I am actually numb to all of it. Do you think by continuing to criticize China, the West could somehow accomplish its hidden agenda? Obviously, no. I think changes in China will come from the Chinese people themselves and definitely not critics of this forum. If you want to read an alternative comment on China please surf www.alt-china.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

You are right. Those bast*#ds have positive spin for anything that is Western in origin such as the "Bird Nest" stadium designed by Westerners or the "Water Cuve" complex for aquatic aports, but negative comments for anything Chinese in origin.

Behind it all is that unholy son of a whore of a camel driver, George W Bush.

I support Al Qaeda for once. May they succeed in ramming a plane load of people onto the White House.

Old Fart said...

kjegfWell, if it is the truth ...it is the truth what. So what is so wrong about it? If there is untruth about the report then say so la. After all I have also been seeing so many positive reports on China in CNN too, why never praise them or condemn them for it?

Samuel Goh Kim Eng said...

Every mass media in this world has its own hidden agendas
Every newspaper likewise will have its own biased reporting
So there's really no exception even in the land of the pandas
Whether or not they actually take part in any form of sporting

(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 050808
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Tue. 5th Aug. 2008.

Anonymous said...

The same goes to BBC too, showing some Chinese peasants anguishing in pain for whatever reason which I couldn't recall.

Anonymous said...

Every news media has its own bias and hidden agenda. The western CNN is run by westerners who consciously or unconciously see China from their own perspective. China is a growing competitor who has grown strong enough to stand up to the western powers. The westerners who are accustomed to being the unchallenged bosses need to learn to adjust to this. This is not to say that the negative things they write about China are all untrue, but its all about balanced reporting.
Similarly the malaysian major news media also need to have balanced reporting, and dare to report negative news of the big names in BN. They should not shy away from running negative news of the PM, DPM, the other ministers, or the IGP and AG, etc. And I also find that STAR and of course this WCW blog are ver adverse to negative news of MCA. But this is exactly why the GE2008 result took the BN leaders by surprise, even though ordinary folks like us were quite aware of the very high negative sentiments against BN. The BN leaders read the bias news in the press, and then believe the spin. Like the saying, if you tell it often enough, they will believe it. Even the people who spin the news believe in it after a while.
So WCW, I hope you will use your position to reform STAR. I know it has improved after the GE2008, but you got to take it further. You got to stop waiting for the IGP's blessing before you print the news. While we understand that STAR is afraid of being sued for slander, I think STAR has gone beyond that legitimate caution. It is at a stage of bias reporting. But I do acknowledge that the other papers like NST and Utusan are much worse.

Anonymous said...

CNN has a reputation to uphold. I support CNN in its criticism of China. China does not show respect to the world. I dont see any reason why the world should respect it. China acts like a hooligan. The world should treat it as a hooligan. I urge Chinese all over the world to stop their jingoistic behaviour and acknowledge that China is a pariah state which has no respect for civilised behaviour.

Anonymous said...

Ah Wai,

What right has the Malaysian media to whack CNN for its bias? Aren't you guys terribly biased, taking orders from the 4th floor and ministers directly on how to play news up?

Have you forgotten the days when you guys were told not to refer to Anwar as the "former deputy prime minister" after he was jailed? Just checl your archives from 1999 to 2005 to jog your memory.

Yes, CNN is biased but so are you guys in the local media. PERIOD.

Media watcher

Anonymous said...

Seem to recall the Star running stories bashing the Dalai Lama so it seems to be a case of the pot calling the kettle black, BTW perhaps you might want to consider this piece of news

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Chi?urn=oly,98718

amoker said...

I do agree that there is just too much China Bashing going on. I remember a story where the Chinese students were so fed up that they decided that it is not worth trying to measure up to the west's revolving standards. The poem goes something like this..

They say we have too many population, so we limit the number of children.
Then they say we are inhuman in limiting number of children...

The list goes on.

I was reflecting on the ongoing drug scandal that forces a number of US athelets to give up their gold medals. I wonder if this would happen in any other country outside US, how these countries will be shamed.

Anonymous said...

The Star did the same thing too. So, what right do you have to complain about CNN's reporting?

Anonymous said...

Actually you may need to access Amnesty International's website just to check the statement on the human rights abuse if you are covering the dignataries. And maybe too if you are writing a general story....