Chinese media: a professional perspective
- Source: Global Times
- [22:26 August 13 2009]
- Comments
Matsuno: The Chinese media, including the Global Times and CCTV, made an especial effort to point out that Kadeer used false photographs, and I appreciated this and saw that Chinese media are striving to change. However, foreigners see this as just defending the government position. Chinese media are not completely trusted in the West, and should make efforts to win people’s confidence.
Artem Churkin
Churkin: Most of the changes I felt came from last year’s Olympic Games. In order to prepare for the Olympics, China has improved a lot of things to international standards. Chinese media is more professional, more open and more transparent.
John Gordon
Gordon: In general, Western journalists are more precise than their Chinese colleagues. Let me give a personal example. In 2004, Michael Jordan, a former NBA star, came to China after retirement to climb the Great Wall. I accompanied him as the translator for an American ESPN reporter. I saw Jordan stop several times on the way out of breath. The next day, the Chinese media said that Jordan was faster than others and was worthy of the “flying man” title. I wonder if this is written in advance or was just done to meet the hopes of audience and readers.
On another occasion, I went to the Capital Stadium to watch a Chinese pop music award presentation ceremony. Some singers were supposed to show up but didn’t, and the stands were full of shouts of “refund.” But the next day, I saw the reporters write that the audience was very satisfied.
These, in my opinions, are unnecessary falsities that undermine the Chinese media’s impartiality and objectivity. Perhaps it’s because the Chinese media likes positive reportage. However, I believe that the Chinese media will become more and more precise.
