CNN Crew Roughed up by Chinese Police

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

This is an example of what happens when an arrogant reporter and failing news network disobeys Chinese police warnings. It's clear he thought he could make a story where there wasn't one. CNN reports that Chinese police tried to prevent him from reporting the story, but one can clearly see that he was warned not to walk into a restricted area and ignored the warning. Dummass was lucky he didn't get the crap beat out of him.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=frOniFomnlw

Edited January 23, 2014 by ExChinaExpat (see edit history)

[Mick]

It is so interesting how much spin doctoring is going on here. Often foreigners in China, especially members of the media, think that the same rules of their homeland apply in China. The reporter kept saying, "This is a public place, I am allowed to report here." Fact is, it was an off limits area and the police, initially a police woman, tried to stop him from going forward, but he just kept barging ahead and ignoring their warnings. The report said officials told him "without law and order there would be chaos in China." What we in the West fail to understand is how true that statement is. In a nation with 1.3 billion people, law and order is absolutely essential, even more so than in a nation our size. The network put such a negative spin on this thing, making it seem like a desire to cover up human rights violations when, in fact, it was more a case of an over-zealous journalist who was completely disrespectful of the laws of the land he was working in. I taught Journalism classes at the university level for years, both in America and in China. One of the first cardinal principles a novice reporter must learn is to respect all laws of the country you are working in, especially countries that have what might be deemed "strict or repressive" governments. Now don't get me wrong, I am not defending China's history of human rights violations. I know what that history is and understand why people are critical. But in this case, you would think the reporting could have been just a tad more objective. Just my two cents. . . .

Edited January 23, 2014 by Mick (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

The reporter failed to remember that China is a communist nation and there is no freedom of the press or speech and crossed the line. They are lucky that China is as tolerant as they are, this would have been worse if it were in North Korea.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

The reporter failed to remember that China is a communist nation and there is no freedom of the press or speech and crossed the line. They are lucky that China is as tolerant as they are, this would have been worse if it were in North Korea.

 

During high-profile events in the US the press and general public are excluded from certain areas. If anyone crosses that line they will be arrested, and may even face a difficult face plant to the concrete if they refuse to comply. Respectfully Dan, I don't think this reporter failed to remember anything. He clearly knew exactly what he was doing when he refused to comply with the much smaller police woman's gentle request to stop. During my time living in China, it was not difficult to see that certain areas were restricted from photos or authorized personnel. I didn't ever risk crossing those lines in China, and I try to avoid crossing them in the US. This was a true case of showmanship by that newsboy who was using his camera to send a video back to the US for American audience consumption. There is Western press all over China reporting stories every day. Keep in mind that China is NOT North Korea.

Edited January 23, 2014 by ExChinaExpat (see edit history)