Media Biased Against China

BBC1 · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 14

Just saw the Newsnight report about Chinese businesses operating in Zambia. It is yet another example of biased reporting I feel. People on these forums seem to be denying it.

Is it only me that senses that the British media is going out of its way to discredit all thing China?

Unfortunately a lot of people will watch/listen to such programs and most will just accept what is presented to them as fact.

Apologies to those on here who think that I have a 'persecution complex' (as Jeff Minter has been accused of in a different post). It is just what I am observing more and more of in recent times. I just find it worrying - mostly from a selfish point of view - I am worried that the end result is more racism against those in this country who are of oriental ethnic origin like me.

Some of the programs / reports I have seen recently on the BBC and other media seem (to me at least) bordering on the fringes of inciting racial hatred.

Some of you may disagree but I said my piece. If things turn a bit pear shaped for people of oriental origin in this country then at least I can say 'told you so'. Hope that will not happen of course.

Just my view.

quietman · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 72 Location: Liverpool

I would agree with you that there seems a lot of anti Chinese programmes on lately, espececially regarding Tibet. But I would not go as far as to say that they incite racial hatred against the Chinese in the UK or anywhere else.

The new BBC4 programme on Chinese school seems to paint a positive picture of Chinese students working extremely hard and behaving very well in and out of class.

Edwina Lee · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:38 pm Post subject:

What some BBC reporters are doing (especially live presenters and low graded journalists) is encouraging anarchy within a democracy as if it is all part of the idea of democracy.

Well made documentaries like the ones made by Open University/BBC are however, very fair and insightful.

joybetluck · Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Posts: 206

Could be because this is a presidential election year in the US and local election coming up in May in UK. The media likes to use stereotype even when they are out of date.

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 763 Location: Beijing, PRC

I think media in this country pretty fair to China.

Open University programs, language programs and Chinese schools are well made and enlightening. I recall programs about First Emperor, and Terracotta Warriors have been very positive and inspire interest in Chinese culture. Even programs about pollution in China have brought home the fact that there is a cost in human lives through the booming economy of China and that the West's low inflation is due to cheap labour in Asia. Such programs are helpful to ordinary people in Asia.

Come to that when did you last see a program praising America, France, Spain, Germany, anywhere in Africa even UK for that matter. Programs you do not see are programs critical of Islam, Saudia Arabia, female circumcision, How about the evils of foot-binding or would that be a bit close to home?

It is always doom and gloom on TV. I think we are too sensitive and too ready to play the race card at the slightest criticism even if justified. We are getting a lot in common with the Muslims.

pensggs · Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 372

It is now very fashionable to take 'pot-shot' at anything or anyone Chinese. This is being strengthen by the 'self sacrificing and passive nature of the Chinese culture'. The media in UK is not fair, it is a 'closed shop' and only the fashionable opinions are acceptable governed by the 'rule of economics'. It is profitable to be fashionable and taking 'pot-shots' at anything Chinese is 'okay'. You are in.

When we wish to critises China, we should do a little historical investigations. Remember the times of Dicken's and the smog in London. That was not too long ago. Remember the children that were sent down the coalmines. Remember the almhouses in Victorian England. Remember the potato famine.

I was in China recently and it was heartening to see governmental properganda encouraging the general population to take care of their environment. Where is our governmental properganda about caring about our environment in UK.

I was touring USA and in and around New York states, there were factories spewing out 'black smoke' into the environment.

The recent years it has been the turn of India and China to play 'catch-up' and during the period of the 'Wild wild West', did the White European Americans think of the 'havoc' their development and their 'survival' had on the native Indians and the 'native creatures' of the Wild wild West?. So let's not use two different measures to measure different countries at different stages of its development? Regardless of one's personal feelings, critical analysis is necessary to maintain one's prespective of the different agendas of different countries and culture.

The western media is not fair. It can tried to be fair but it is not profitable nor fashionable to be fair to China. Let's not defend a media governed by economics and will only write the news the average person wants to read.

Wardtayo24 · Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Manchester

I agree with the previous post regarding the western media against China.

I am a mixed race British Citizen, both English and Chinese and I truly believe the perspective that the western media of China including its Tibet problems, economy, environment and human rights is totally hypocritical.

I evidence my opinion with the following:

Economy - China is deliberately trying to develop its economy so neglected in the past, it is trying to cope with feeding, employing and caring for 1 billion people. Not an easy task in any culture!

Environment - The west has seriously polluted the environment and already set the ball rolling with ozone depletion, green house gases, deforestation, destruction of native cultures and peoples and over fishing. Who are we to EVEN mention to China to stop doing the same. They must of course do all they can to stop any damage they cause but we cannot blame the Chinese for all the problems the world now faces??
"oh its ok we in the west are rich now and got what we wanted no one else can do the same" ??? how fair is that?

Tibet - there is alot more to the Tibet issue than meets the eye and certainly more than what the western media tell us. I have read the history books and I have read for myself and totally different side to this argument. Why are western people so eager to jump onto their soapboxes about something they truly know nothing much about?? Have they even ever been to Tibet??

Human Rights - Did the west take into account the human rights of the Native Americans? or the Aborogines or Maori of New Zealand?
Does the United States still hold people without trial in inhumane conditions in another country? torturing them and depriving them of Justice? yes, they certainly do.
So please, western media quit pointing the finger so hastily, we still have alot to sort out over here too!
_________________
吉米

VisMar · Joined: 25 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

I can't help thinking the reporting hasn't changed, but that the focus of attention on China has annoyed people.

What else was expected on an Olympic year tho?

A lot of the reports I've seen of media bias tend to focus on small mistakes (like a wrong photo or caption line) instead of on the main body of the report.
_________________
Speak To China

Edwina Lee · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:03 pm Post subject:

There are a lot of people using the internet to advance personal viewpoints and form pressure groups.
Some of them are advancing ridiculous conspiracy theories which malign China, but they are not harmless.

For example,
- a picture of Tibetan deers crossing under the railway arch
(This was promoted as a fake picture [probably was], but the picture served the purpose of illustrating that the deers' migration pathway was not blocked by the railway)
- a picture of chinese soldiers holding monk uniforms was advanced as evidence that chinese soldiers dressed up as monks to fake footage of monks demolishing buildings in the riot.
(On examination of the photo, I judge that this is a photo of a film set, and the soldiers could not possibly be on a military exercise.)

Goodedge · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 44 Location: London

Anyone who thinks the media here is fair towards China really needs a reality check.. They're either seeing and hearing a different reality than most of us or are so weak minded they have to play the creep..

Kong · Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 103 Location: Sheffield

The media has a common theme over the years. Here are some of them.

Chinese men = Small

Chinese family = Kill girls over boys, therefore chinese men fault.

Chinese women = Sexist men, dont marry chinese.

Chinese People in the Media = Only Chinese women, and usually they are in a relationship with white men.

Chinese Culture = Eat dogs, backward, etc

Chinese Government = Repressive

Chinese Economy = Playing a catch up game with the civilised world (The roman world).

Chinese Trade imbalance = Dont buy chinese

Chinese Environment = Stop developing its for your own good

Chinese Army = Big threat to neighbours and US domination

Loaning chinese Pandas = How cute.

CHINA = BIG BADDY

These are the general themes of news and media channels. You should be worried about what western people think, because this is presented as fact to them.

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 763 Location: Beijing, PRC

Dear Kong,

Do you hate Chinese women?

CX-P

quietman · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 72 Location: Liverpool

We would be burying our heads in the sand if we denied that China has human rights problems.

Kong · Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 103 Location: Sheffield

America has a human rights problem. Remember Guantomno bay, does that remind you of something, sorry about the spelling. Why is it right for the west to critize china, but not critizes itself. Its OK that America is allowed to do whatever it likes to foreign nationals and hold them without seeing a lawyer, and detained without trail, but its ok, but then again its only us the civilised world. This is the action of an hypocrit. This is the proganda from the media to manlipulate their people.

----------------------------------------------------

CXP, words from kong

http://www.thecheers.org/article_2697_A-bastard-Chinese-mans-voice.htm l

Unite and defend the chinese people from crap from westerners!!

chunxueping · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 763 Location: Beijing, PRC

Dear Kong,

I think America criticize herself more than anyone else. There is the rule of law there and in most EU countries. Look at how difficult it is in UK to lock up accused terrorists, two released just this week. In China we would not put up with such legal rights crap, we just shoot them right away. I got no problem with that. Life of thousands of innocents far more important than the rights of a few thugs.

However, rule of law is now come in China and we pretty decent country but very tough on troublemakers. OK we (China) have human rights problems but could be worse, look at Burma or most arab or african countries. Different focus on human rights in China as right to food, education, housing and health for everyone is more important than rights of one guy who wants weird religion.

Criticism of China is sign of growing national importance, we have to get used to it. After all does anyone ever have a good word for America, UK, France?

You have good heart Kong, be proud of yourself. We have nothing to be ashamed of apart from foot-binding and selective birth-control. We no better, or worse, than anyone else.

Sorry your link not work. Im sure would have enjoyed.

CX-P

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