No Bootlicking, Please!

[Randy W]

.

Some media don't get the message: no bootlicking

The report, dated February 1, totaled around 1,300 in words, 1,134 of which were devoted to fawning upon the authorities for their "speedy response" to the accident.

The names of 16 provincial and city officials directing rescue operation on site were featured prominently and high up in the report, coupled with 25 positive terms describing their work as "immediate," "methodical," "effectual," and "with heart and soul."

By comparison, there was nary a mention of the victims and their grief-stricken families.

And reporting about the accident itself and possible causes was cursory.

In contrast with coverage that can be over-emotional and filled with pathos, the report in question is devoid of any emotion, any sympathy for the lost lives. It is official mumbo jumble at its worst, critics say.

[Fu Lai]

Li Bao again leaving out any supporting evidence, not answering his own rhetorical questions and basically preaching his opinion as if it were fact.

 

Who are these critics he says that say all the inflammatory stuff? He doesn't name them.

 

Where is the proof of anything he says about the article he slams? He doesn't link it or even give excerpts.

 

What is the context of the article?

 

Was there the main article that told all about what happened and this was a side piece? Who knows? He doesn't say.

 

Did the officials that the article supposedly lauds deserve recognition for a job well done? He leaves that out too.

 

"Media are supposed to be watchdogs," he claims, "we need outspoken media who dare to speak truth to power and truthfully." I guess media has no place in just reporting rather than always spewing opinions.

 

Where was the truth not spoken? Li Bao fails again to mention that.

 

All of this adds up to a weak article that sounds more like a freshman rant.

[Randy W]

Remember that the People's Daily is controlled by the Communist Party. The intended audience is both the foreign media and the local press. The message is both that "there are many signs that Chinese media is enjoying a freer hand in handling news", and that the local media needs to NOT "lick boots", "to trash all the empty, adulatory cliches and put facts and people, rather than officials, first."

 

 

Old habits die hard.

All the more reason why we need outspoken media who dare to speak truth to power and truthfully for the people.

[Fu Lai]

Sad that this "article" lacks any facts whatsoever, just pure unsubstantiated opinion. That's what makes it so weak IMO (as a publisher myself). It could be very instructive to the other media but it comes across as one media org bashing another. There appears to be no bootlicking going on here, at least none that is factually referenced. If officials do a good job can they not be congratulated? What about the firefighters etc. on 911 in the USA? This piece just lacks any teeth.

 

Remember that the People's Daily is controlled by the Communist Party. The intended audience is both the foreign media and the local press. The message is both that "there are many signs that Chinese media is enjoying a freer hand in handling news", and that the local media needs to NOT "lick boots", "to trash all the empty, adulatory cliches and put facts and people, rather than officials, first."

 

 

Old habits die hard.

All the more reason why we need outspoken media who dare to speak truth to power and truthfully for the people.

[Feathers268]

 

The dramatic explosion that was said to have destroyed an 80-meter section of a bridge in central China's Henan Province on February 1and killed 10 people raised hard questions about the bridge's quality, since the blast was reportedly triggered by an unlikely culprit -- a truck laden with fireworks.

If this had been an accident here in the US, this would have been the center of major news reports for days. A truck full of fireworks going up would be tragic and cause much destruction to the truck and surrounding cars, but knocing out 80 meters of a bridge? Black powder and paper is just not that powerful.

As for "congratulating officials", first I would like to see the actuall article, but 9/11 really can't be used as a comparison. FDNY lost 343 of thier own on that day. Port Authority and NYPD also lost large numbers. Since the NY OEM was on site at the World Trade Center, even the mayor and staff were right in the middle of the chaos on that day. That is a big difference from politicians that show up on scene after the fact.

[Fu Lai]

 

 

The dramatic explosion that was said to have destroyed an 80-meter section of a bridge in central China's Henan Province on February 1and killed 10 people raised hard questions about the bridge's quality, since the blast was reportedly triggered by an unlikely culprit -- a truck laden with fireworks.

If this had been an accident here in the US, this would have been the center of major news reports for days. A truck full of fireworks going up would be tragic and cause much destruction to the truck and surrounding cars, but knocing out 80 meters of a bridge? Black powder and paper is just not that powerful.

As for "congratulating officials", first I would like to see the actuall article, but 9/11 really can't be used as a comparison. FDNY lost 343 of thier own on that day. Port Authority and NYPD also lost large numbers. Since the NY OEM was on site at the World Trade Center, even the mayor and staff were right in the middle of the chaos on that day. That is a big difference from politicians that show up on scene after the fact.

Yeah, who knows what actually happened from this article? Who showed up and when, coming to the aid of those injured in the collapsing highway? No direct comparison to 9/11 from me (obvious scale differences), just that officials that responded there were also praised in the coverage. I think if one media is going to call another "bootlickers" then they should be extra careful to prove their point.

[Randy W]

China is a whole different country - the "other media" LISTENS to what's being said by the Communist Party, and, by and large, FOLLOWS the directives issued by the "Ministry of Truth", or risks being closed down, as per the recent Southern Weekly incident.

 

The article from Xinhua about the Dahe Daily coverage - http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-02/04/c_132150581.htm

 

The Dahe Daily is a Chinese language newspaper - www.dahe.cn. Perhaps you can find the article in question (on Feb. 1)

 

A collection of "Directives from the Ministry of Truth" is at - http://chinadigitaltimes.net/china/directives-from-the-ministry-of-truth/

 

An example:

 

 

 

Central Propaganda Department: In covering the Guangdong
pilot program for government officials to report their [personal]
finances, proceed according to unified planning from the Central
Committee’s Commission for Discipline Inspection. All media are to cease
independent reporting and commentary for the time being. (February 6, 2013)

中宣部：有关广东官员财产申报试点工作的报道，按中纪委统一安排进行，各媒体暂不再自行报道评论。

 

 

No examples are given, no point is made. The message is understood. Perusing the Weibos would provide MUCH more information.

[Randy W]

The original anti-"bootlicking" directive came from the CPC Congress

 

The report comes at a time when the top leaders of China's ruling party have vowed to reduce pomp and bureaucracy.

In a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China
Central Committee in December 2012, senior officials agreed to cut
bureaucratic "empty words" in both official documents and news reports
on the officials' work. Reports on officials' activities should only be
released when they are newsworthy, according to a statement at the
meeting.

[Fu Lai]

RandyW, I GET what you have been saying in your posts. Nevertheless I was only saying that this opinion piece was inflammatory in the headline, poorly written and unhelpful. I hope that is crystal clear. Okay, enough from me about this.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Fu Lai (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Again, it covers well-known incidents and I have no doubt delivered its message to its intended audience. The reason it caught my eye was as a simple lesson in Communist Media 101, and as an indication of changes which are occurring under the new regime.

[warpedbored]

 

 

The dramatic explosion that was said to have destroyed an 80-meter section of a bridge in central China's Henan Province on February 1and killed 10 people raised hard questions about the bridge's quality, since the blast was reportedly triggered by an unlikely culprit -- a truck laden with fireworks.

If this had been an accident here in the US, this would have been the center of major news reports for days. A truck full of fireworks going up would be tragic and cause much destruction to the truck and surrounding cars, but knocing out 80 meters of a bridge? Black powder and paper is just not that powerful.

As for "congratulating officials", first I would like to see the actuall article, but 9/11 really can't be used as a comparison. FDNY lost 343 of thier own on that day. Port Authority and NYPD also lost large numbers. Since the NY OEM was on site at the World Trade Center, even the mayor and staff were right in the middle of the chaos on that day. That is a big difference from politicians that show up on scene after the fact.

I was a combat engineer in the Army I can tell you from experience that black powder and paper would not do the job unless the bridge was already weak. You would need a steel cutting charge like C-4 plastic explosives.

[Randy W]

Again, it covers well-known incidents and I have no doubt delivered its message to its intended audience. The reason it caught my eye was as a simple lesson in Communist Media 101, and as an indication of changes which are occurring under the new regime.

 

 

The key thing to notice is that the Xinhua article ABOUT the "bootlicking" is widely reprinted - verbatim - in the Chinese media, and is widely quoted in the Western media. NONE of these articles have any links to the original article in the Dahe Daily - I'm guessing that it's been long since deleted.

 

Like I said, China is a whole different country.