Tibet media coverage biased
By samanthaorwell on April 1, 2008 - 1:03am
http://thevancouvermanifesto.blogspot.com/2008/04/tibet-media-coverage-b...
Glenn Bohn of The Vancouver Sun wrote “Tibet coverage ‘twisted, biased’” yesterday.
Basically, it says that Western media has been biased and given twisted coverage of Tibet protest. It mentions that most media images come from Westerners and/or tourists taking sensational videos, photos, or cell phone pics in the heat of protest. Western media heavily relies on these images to stir their columns and news stories.
On the other hand, “viewers of Chinese-language TV news broadcasts see the more of the "dark side and violence of the riots," including assaults against ethnic Chinese in Tibet. The Chinese news media also interviewed injured ethnic Chinese in hospitals.”
Our well-known SingTao Daily, privately owned Chinese newspaper run out of Vancouver, says that Western media are critical of ALL non-western governments, not only Communist China, and shouldn’t really take undue offense, saying that it doesn’t mean that Western countries, or specifically Canada, is breaking “friendly relations” with China.
I’m glad they brought this up. I am a huge fan of articles that show some reflexivity in discourse.
All media sets agendas and no media is unbiased. Popular newspapers are “expert opinions” and mos often.. just well-written opinion. And let us not pretend that any of the newspapers published in Vancouver display well-written news. In fact The Vancouver Sun itself is supposed to be written at like.. a grade 7 level. Really.
There is strong agenda setting in media (See, for example, Wanta & Hu 1993) so be careful with what you read.
For a more local example, there is all this hoo ha about whale hunt/ seal hunt with animal rights people and people getting all sad at certain Native groups. But seriously, we cry over these things because whales and seals are all cuddly and cute. Nobody ever talks about the deep cultural, traditional, or whatever-they-do-it-for reasons. Let’s hear the other side of the argument and not get all weak because cute animals are being killed. Unless you are 100% vegan and are 100% ethical in your economic consumption, stop acting like you are all righteous and shit (aka tell that to Hayden Panettiere who cries over baby dolphins) [aside- and please, do you REALLY think anybody would care if she weren't a popular actress and hot? another Pam Anderson, no doubt]. Really, nobody is bawling over the damn spiders or rodents we kill everyday, but come the cute cuddly animals that you can put in a zoo and oo and aww at and we all suddenly become activists. Get over yourself.
ANYHOW, my point is, you got to look at both sides of the story. Pick a side, by all means, but at least educate yourself on both sides and TRY not to be ignorant as to the reasons WHY people do the things they do.
READ MORE:http://thevancouvermanifesto.blogspot.com/
Don't loose your cool, My Dear...
From where we sit, it's sometimes difficult to tell what's really the truth, and what's just a carefully crafted pack
of lies aimed at attracting sympathy for one side or the other.
In China, they're using the same kinds of arguments about Tibet as the Israelis use about the Palestinians; they say things like 'if it weren't for us, they wouldn't have water or electricity, or roads, or trains.' China has spent fortunes building a railway into Tibet, much of it across permafrost and very difficult terrain. That's all very well, but we need to ask if the Tibetans asked for all that technological help, or were they happy without it? There's two sides to everything and the truth probably lies somewhere between, if only we could get at it.
How about you dont fucking jump to conclusions, tibet has always been part of china ever since the 1600s, california and texas used to be mexicos, so why not say mexican independence? Tibet's independence is not the issue here, Western media is saying that Chinese government and people are oppressing the tibet like dogs, in fact we are not, usa has always had a media agenda against the east, especially the rising superpower china it helplessly wishes to contain. The protest are VIOLENT, NOT-NONVIOLET, if gangsters decides to shoot people on the street, does police not fire back??? Exactly dumbshit ray you live in your american whitewashed society enslaved to the lies of cnn like millions of american hicks out there.
IF YOU DONT BELIEVE ME, LOOK ON THE SITE www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-03/22/content_6557738.htm
if you are white and you believe in any kind of religion, may the lord have mercy on your soul for whoring yourself to babylon and satan
Between the media in the West and in China, the truth does lie somewhere in between, as commented by many well-educated and informed individuals I spoke to in China last week (Apr'08)in China.
It's undeniable that China has a long way to go in terms of Human Rights. However, the rest of the world should also acknowledge the progress China has made in the last few decades, from the Cultural Revolution, 1989 TianAnMen Square Protest to now. Evolution is a process. If we truly care about people in China, in Tibet, the rest of us should recognize the good and the bad and continue to remind and encourage China to make more efforts when it comes to Human Rights.
You are absolutely right about understanding both sides of the story before drawing conclusions. How many people who support the Free Tibet movement in the west know that Tibet was under the slavery and serfdom system before the Communist Party abolished it in 1959? How many have been to China and spoke to people there? How many have interviewed historians in China to understand the history of Tibet and the relationship between Tibet and Chinese Han? How many know whether "Free Tibet" is really what most Tibetans want? How many know that the minority ethnic groups in China are given privileges that Han people don't have? For example, one child policy only applies to Han people; it's easier for students belong to minority ethnic groups to enter universities than Han students.
The communist party has made some terrible mistakes in the past. However, in the feudal society governed by Dala Lama and local nobles before 1959, majority of Tibetans lived in poverty. One cannot imagine the hardship the slaves had to go through. The prisons built underneath some temples were equipped with horrific tools to torture the prisoners including the run-away slaves. One can certainly imagine how some of the former landlords in exile were not exactly thrilled with the Communist Party of China. In any event, the Chinese government helped build hospitals and schools in Tibet since 1959. Unfortunately, 10 years later, people across China experienced the Cultural Revolution.
The living condition in Tibet has improved in the last twenty years. But a lot more improvement is still needed. By doing so, the Han Chinese should remember not to shove their believes and ideas down the Tibetans' throat.
And there is "Free Tibet", some activists truly want the best for the Tibetans. However, I don't doubt for one moment others have alterer motives. After all, to them, protesting or rioting before the Olympics seems like the perfect to do to humiliate the Chinese government in front of the world and once again bring Tibet to the world's attention. It's a possibility. What about the innocent Chinese people killed during the riot? What about the athletes who have trained all these years for the Olympics game? Anyone care about them? It's easy to support the "Free Tibet" movement from far without truly understanding China and Tibet. People can argue whether Tibet belongs to China til the cows come home. Many countries invaded and conquered other countries and regions in the history of mankind. We are not going to free each of these regions and countries now, are we? We cannot blame the Chinese people for wanting a united motherland, consisting of 56 ethnic groups is what makes China unique. If Tibet became independent, some other ethnic groups may follow. What would happen then? Separatism in China would create uprisings and war. It would not only bring chaos in China, but also have a negative impact on the rest of the world.
The cultural revolution left China in such a disastrous state. In order for true freedom to manifest in China, it must first improve the living standards of its people - develop it's economy. It needs stability and unity. Remember, you cannot expect someone who is uneducated and has lived in poverty all her life to easily grasp the concepts of democracy, spirituality and philosophy etc. Therefore, it's a long hard process. But I believe China will get there one day.
how the hell can u improve the living conditions of society in an asian country? its got 1.2 billion FUCIKING PEOPLE YOU PIECE OF SHIT, I AM CHINESE AND THE COMMUNIST REVOLUTION WAS THE BEST THING THAT HAPPANED, ITS EITHER THAN OR A DICTATIORSHIP WHICH OPPRESSES THE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE YOU DUMB MOTHERFUCKER PICE OF SHIT AMERICAN DUMBASS, ITS PEOPLE LIKE YOU THE AMERICAN MEDIA HAS FORCED LIES DOWN YOUR THROAT AND YOU WILLING SWALLOWED LIKE A LITTLE WHORE\
FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA! FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA! FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA! FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA! FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA! FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA! FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA! FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA! FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA! FUCKING FREE CALIFORNIA!
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