CCTV FOLLIES 1.1 JAPAN NEW YEAR QUAKE

New Year's quake in Ishikawa, Japan -Earthquakes are upsetting, even more so on a presumably auspicious day -CCTV reporters on the ground -China Consulate on the case -No Chinese injured

Seven hours after the 7.5 magnitude quake, CCTV’s dedicated news channel 13 had a comprehensive report culled from Japanese TV, wire reports and some on-the-scene coverage.

The studio green screen above sympathetically reflects the focus of coverage.

CCTV in Beijing called upon its crew stationed in Japan to supplement coverage. A CCTV reporter, apparently in Tokyo, gives an update on the quake in Ishikawa Prefecture which sits on the other side of Japan from Tokyo on the Japan Sea.

“Strong tremors felt in various locations and numerous tsunami warnings posted.”

“Chinese residents in Japan personally experience Noto area earthquake”

Citizen report from a Mr. Xu, a Chinese resident in Japan, is included in the coverage.

A large tsunami followed the quake. High level emergency warnings were issued but it was eventually downgraded.

“The Ministry of Natural Resources reports there is no danger of tsunami on the shores of ‘our country’” (China)

Xinwen Lianbo, the usual news program featured on the Follies, had some coverage of the Ishikawa quake using many of the same images. It aired at 7 in the evening on the day of the 4:10 pm quake which meant a story had to be cobbled together in just less than 3 hours. The evening news understandably puts more emphasis on the tsunami threat, which was not fully resolved at the time.

Viewed in a larger context, the Japan report was the top foreign news story on a day mostly devoted to dreary domestic propaganda about Xi Jinping, his new year speech ringing in 2024, and enthusiastic vox populi reaction to Xi’s “important” speech.