CCTV FOLLIES 2.27 MEDIA CLIMATE CRISIS

Xi continues to hog the headlines and hijack the airwaves -China is one big happy Xi-topia and domestic news doesn't need reporting -News is bad in foreign ports where Xi Thought has yet to penetrate

The best way to take measure of a nation’s happiness is to look at how the minorities are doing and in the case of China they are doing more than well. They are ecstatically happy and like to dress up and sing and dance all the time, as can be seen in the scene above, in what appears to be a spontaneous, unscripted stroll through the market.

I was recently interviewed by Rachel Cheung at The Wire China on the topic of press freedom and that state of state TV. It’s behind a paywall, but the quote below sums up my view of CCTV News after two years of daily monitoring of Xinwen Lianbo.

The February 27, 2024 evening news is very much in keeping with this regrettable trend. Xi is top story, of course, and even though he hasn’t made an appearance for a while, the personality cult never sleeps.

The news opens with a slightly younger-looking Xi giving a speech in 2015.

The next Xi segment presents an equally impressive show of his rotundity in action, this one dating to 2018.

The main story is ostensibly about the growth of the Internet and China’s digital leaps and strides, but how can you talk about the Internet without invoking the galaxy brain who for all practical purposes practically invented it?

(hint: it’s not Al Gore)

It’s got Xi’s fingerprints all over it.

Xi gets the two top stories today. Ho-hum. In addition to wiring China, Xi signed into law and order on Guarding State Secrets, in the name of the Chairman.

(It’s sometimes called a “presidential” order but that would suggest a level of democracy absent in the Xi-dominated political process.)

With the hard news out of the way, time to kick and and put on your thinking cap and extol the classics as Xi does when deep in contemplation in his book-lined study reading tomes and writing bestsellers. Xi is extremely erudite, so it’s only natural that he should be constantly quoting the classics. He’s also extremely democratic, and he wants things that he happens to like to be liked by everyone.

Alas, even the classics written in centuries past are being called upon to serve the Xi personality cult as it goes into overdrive. CCTV has aired three programs on Xi’s favorite quotes in the last week alone.

“In safety think of danger, in order worry about chaos.”

What Xi is really saying is, when the good times roll, think of him. When the going gets rough, think of him, too. (but only in a positive way as the nation’s savior)

Xi quips quoting ancient quotes are often illustrated with fecund scenery and magnificent vistas.

Xi quotes also pair nicely with stirring shots of the Great Hall and the latest high speed trains.

“As Chairman Xi Jinping pointed out…”

Editor’s note: When you hear someone saying that, run for the nearest exit

Democracy in China’s congress with modern socialist characteristics for the New Era. Voting electronically with the touch of a button is the modern part. Voting in support of whatever the paramount leader wants is the socialist part.

“The Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) concluded its eighth session Tuesday in Beijing. At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt a revised Law on Guarding State Secrets.”

In other news, China has made genuine leaps and strides in science and engineering. Don’t let the fact that you-know-who takes credit for everything positive and shuns any association with anything negative lead to the churlish conclusion that nothing good is free of the taint of Xi. There is much in Chinese engineering to be admired.

Chinese industrial strength tunnel bores are world class (take note, Elon) and some have distinct Chinese characteristics as can be seen on the left. The tunnel on the right is vertiginously deep and I’m not sure how they’ll get those cranes out at the bottom of the pit, but it’s impressive work.

In unrelated tunnel news, Israel has uncovered many kilometers of Hamas tunnels.

The Gaza imagery today leans more to the Palestinian side

IDF footage gets significant airtime on CCTV and is always followed by Hamas footage, mostly POV phone shots of individual attacks and ambushes. Sometimes the guerilla footage is attributed directly to Hamas, which has a media relations with CCTV, but today’s unclear footage is attributed to a “Palestine armed group”

Exchange of rocket fire and bombs on Lebanon front.

Israel bombs in the east and Hezbolleh takes down IDF drone.

If news about Xi can be said to deprive China news coverage of oxygen, CCTV’s “generosity” in giving the Kremlin a slot for Russia Defense news not only deprives the war it is supposed to be covering of oxygen, but leaves viewers gasping for tidbits of news not about Russia and not about China.

Highlights of todays’ Russian Defense Report, claiming important advances, below:

Avdiivka, or what’s left of it, has been secured by Russian tanks and troops.

In keeping with CCTV’s vaunted “neutrality” and desire to appear fair and balanced, a few throw-away shots of Ukraine troops trying to stop the Russians.

Viktor Orban is a familiar face to CCTV viewers as Hungary is an important toehold for China in Europe. (As is Serbia) China has been trying hard to pull Germany to its side but that’s a work in progress.

After much resistance, Hungary relents and accedes to Sweden joining NATO

The best pictures in today’s news are used to illustrate one of the scariest stories of all, involving all, everywhere all at once. Climate change is a threat.

Finally, the news concludes with disorder, strikes and strife on the streets of Europe which is just the way CCTV likes it. It’s in keeping with the time-tested editorial policy: China stable, Europe chaos. China good, US bad.

As for China-Russia? Xi’s okay, and Vlad’s okay, too. Maybe even better than okay.

Maybe better than ever. Unprecedented mutual admiration. Forever friends!

Zai jian!