Some Comments from the Global Times about the Olympics Coverage

[Randy W]

Booing Sochi only shows West’s bigotry

 

 

Some say it is the journalistic nature of the Western media to be critical and ready to challenge authorities. But the excuse sounds so hypocritical when you look at the Western coverage of the 2012 London Summer Games, which was much more friendly and festive.

Since the ending of the Cold War, only the 2008 Beijing Games and the ongoing Sochi Games have experienced such criticism. It is surprising how much the Western media stick to their bigotry.

The West is currently still leading the development of human civilization. But the noises around the Sochi Games have once again shown the narrow mind of the West. Such a value orientation could be a threat to the world's future.

Russia is much smaller and weaker than the Soviet Union. No matter how "tough" Putin is, today's Russia will no longer fall back to the Stalin or Brezhnev times. But the West's endless criticism of Russia under Putin's rule appears no different from the elder generations' stances against the Kremlin decades ago.

Western people may not notice that what they are doing to Russia may impede the country's transformation from a superpower to a normal state. They are planting old seeds of rivalry on a land that has become part of globalization.

 

 

[Randy W]

Some tongue-in-cheek coverage from the Borowitz Report (an Onion-like site)

 

Sochi Hotel Guests Complain About Topless Portraits of Putin in Rooms

Tracy Klugian, who travelled from Ohio with his wife to attend the Sochi Games, said that he was appalled to find his hotel room dominated by a gigantic portrait of a shirtless Putin riding what appears to be a bear.

 

Said Mr. Klugian, “I did not travel thousands of miles just to be grossed out.”

 

For his part, President Putin has been dismissive of the complaints, today calling the hotel guests “babies who cry.”

 

“These people who are complaining about what is on their walls should be grateful,” he said. “At least they got one of the hotel rooms with walls.”

 

[Randy W]

From the New York Times

 

Highlights: The Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony

 

http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/02/07/sports/20140207_OPENING_573-slide-R535/20140207_OPENING_573-slide-R535-jumbo.jpg

[tsap seui]

 

Some tongue-in-cheek coverage from the Borowitz Report (an Onion-like site)

 

Sochi Hotel Guests Complain About Topless Portraits of Putin in Rooms

Tracy Klugian, who travelled from Ohio with his wife to attend the Sochi Games, said that he was appalled to find his hotel room dominated by a gigantic portrait of a shirtless Putin riding what appears to be a bear.

 

Said Mr. Klugian, “I did not travel thousands of miles just to be grossed out.”

 

For his part, President Putin has been dismissive of the complaints, today calling the hotel guests “babies who cry.”

 

“These people who are complaining about what is on their walls should be grateful,” he said. “At least they got one of the hotel rooms with walls.”

 

 

Some assholes just have no imagination, I tells ya. Send that crybaby home. I say, ride em, if ya got em.

 

tsap seui

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

I watched the opening ceremony this morning and what strikes me most is the emerging negative attitude toward arrogant Westerners. The rest of the world is much more willing to adjust to the things that the Western press considers more important to talk about than the games themselves. For example, the big headlines in America are the snowflake malfunction, lack of ice, dirty water, hotel accommodations, and so on. This is about the young athletes and the tremendous experience each and every one is having to share two short weeks and have experiences that most of us can never imagine. Something really wrong with the Western press picture. The general public has become to only want to hear what's wrong instead of what's right.

Edited February 8, 2014 by ExChinaExpat (see edit history)

[tsap seui]

I watched the opening ceremony this morning and what strikes me most is the emerging negative attitude toward arrogant Westerners. The rest of the world is much more willing to adjust to the things that the Western press considers more important to talk about than the games themselves. For example, the big headlines in America are the snowflake malfunction, lack of ice, dirty water, hotel accommodations, and so on. This is about the young athletes and the tremendous experience each and every one is having to share two short weeks and have experiences that most of us can never imagine. Something really wrong with the Western press picture. The general public has become to only want to hear what's wrong instead of what's right.

You nailed it Jesse....arrogant westerners. If it ain't our way, it ain't right.

[Randy W]

Just now catching the opening ceremonies on CCTV5 - don't know if this is a repeat, or the first running. Looks like they're about 4 hours behind us (UTC + 4), so the actual ceremony would have been pretty late last night.

 

Figuring out broadcast timings can be pretty difficult, since the listings are in Chinese and the wife doesn't watch, so I usually just figure out what stations are carrying any events, and just tune in randomly.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

Just now catching the opening ceremonies on CCTV5 - don't know if this is a repeat, or the first running. Looks like they're about 4 hours behind us (UTC + 4), so the actual ceremony would have been pretty late last night.

 

Figuring out broadcast timings can be pretty difficult, since the listings are in Chinese and the wife doesn't watch, so I usually just figure out what stations are carrying any events, and just tune in randomly.

 

The opening happened several hours ago, early yesterday EST.

 

http://www.sochi2014.com/en/schedule-and-results

Edited February 8, 2014 by ExChinaExpat (see edit history)

[Randy W]

 

Just now catching the opening ceremonies on CCTV5 - don't know if this is a repeat, or the first running. Looks like they're about 4 hours behind us (UTC + 4), so the actual ceremony would have been pretty late last night.

 

Figuring out broadcast timings can be pretty difficult, since the listings are in Chinese and the wife doesn't watch, so I usually just figure out what stations are carrying any events, and just tune in randomly.

 

The opening happened several hours ago, early yesterday EST.

 

http://www.sochi2014.com/en/schedule-and-results

 

 

 

We are 4 hours ahead of Sochi at UTC+8 (and 13 hours ahead of U.S. EST), so I'm sure everything will be on taped delay but at different times than for the U.S. audience, as it has for the past Olympics.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

 

I watched the opening ceremony this morning and what strikes me most is the emerging negative attitude toward arrogant Westerners. The rest of the world is much more willing to adjust to the things that the Western press considers more important to talk about than the games themselves. For example, the big headlines in America are the snowflake malfunction, lack of ice, dirty water, hotel accommodations, and so on. This is about the young athletes and the tremendous experience each and every one is having to share two short weeks and have experiences that most of us can never imagine. Something really wrong with the Western press picture. The general public has become to only want to hear what's wrong instead of what's right.

You nailed it Jesse....arrogant westerners. If it ain't our way, it ain't right.

 

 

It's really bad as I am watching the news now and it's filled with everything they could catch that isn't up to US standards as presented as only US news could. This arrogance is pathetic and shameful about how not other country on earth can do it better than the US. This kind of reporting is part of what makes it dangerous for US citizens to travel.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

Randy, if you connect your VPN to London, then go to the BBC news website, you can live stream all the events for free. Looking now.

[Randy W]

Randy, if you connect your VPN to London, then go to the BBC news website, you can live stream all the events for free. Looking now.

 

 

Yeah, I have a faster connection now - that may be worth a try. Judging by tonight's coverage, it looks like CCTV may just be broadcasting prime time events 20 hours after the fact.

 

The Winter Olympics (and English-language coverage) was one of my favorite TV events when I was in the U.S.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

If you like figure skating, be sure to check out 15-year old Russian girl, Yulia Lipnitskaya. She's amazing.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/winter-olympics/25885403

[Greg.D.]

I first heard a report of the opening ceremony on NPR. And, it was like gossip rather than reporting and, yes, the guy reporting did dwell much longer than necessary on the malfunctioning snowflake and speculated (when reporting turns into punditry) too, too much on how this would embarrass the regime, etc. On the other hand, they specifically said it would be impossible to match the Beijing ceremony - not some other Western ceremony and otherwise gave it high marks.

 

I thought the ceremony was nice. The long shots of the Olympic complex look pretty awesome.

 

Trying to follow this thread: are we saying Russia is "Western"? I will put my vote in and say "yes". The essay quoted at the top says "Putin has not been cooperative with the West". Anyway, I wouldn't waste anytime trying to judge East's coverage of the West compared to West's coverage of the East. Fairly similar and childish to me - so far as mainstream press goes.

Greg

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

I first heard a report of the opening ceremony on NPR. And, it was like gossip rather than reporting and, yes, the guy reporting did dwell much longer than necessary on the malfunctioning snowflake and speculated (when reporting turns into punditry) too, too much on how this would embarrass the regime, etc. On the other hand, they specifically said it would be impossible to match the Beijing ceremony - not some other Western ceremony and otherwise gave it high marks.

 

I thought the ceremony was nice. The long shots of the Olympic complex look pretty awesome.

 

Trying to follow this thread: are we saying Russia is "Western"? I will put my vote in and say "yes". The essay quoted at the top says "Putin has not been cooperative with the West". Anyway, I wouldn't waste anytime trying to judge East's coverage of the West compared to West's coverage of the East. Fairly similar and childish to me - so far as mainstream press goes.

Greg

 

I agree that each countries news stories present their country in the best light possible, but for the Olympics, I've never seen the kind of coverage from the American press in history. You will have to really dig to find anything today about the Olympics and if you do find a story it will be surrounded with negative stuff. The Olympics were never supposed to be a political statement, but we all know that the press, pundits, and anyone other than athletes make it political.

 

I'm very sad for the American athletes who are in Sochi now. According to the US press they don't even exist, or if they do exist are treated as a collective group of young people who are in grave danger.

 

Here's today's story about how NBC cut an anti-discrimination message from their broadcast:

 

 

 

IOC's tolerance message cut from NBC opening ceremony U.S. broadcast

 

With more than four hours of time-delayed coverage on the 2014 Sochi Olympics opening ceremony last night, NBC still did not have enough time to include everything that took place during the festivities. But one specific omission by the network is drawing criticism today, and it has to do with a pointed anti-discrimination message delivered by IOC president Thomas Bach. Given all the controversy surrounding Russia’s anti-gay laws, Bach’s statement was meaningful and bold. So why, of all things, did NBC choose not to include it?

Deadspin was able to obtain videos of how Bach’s speech appeared in its edited form on NBC, versus how it aired on British TV and elsewhere. Below is the section that did not make it onto TV in the United States (bold emphasis added):

“Now you are living in an Olympic Region. I am sure you will enjoy the benefits for many, many years to come. Thousands of volunteers have welcomed us with the well-known warm Russian hospitality. Many thanks to all the wonderful volunteers. Bolshoi spasiba, valantyoram! Thank you very much to everyone. Russia and the Russians have set the stage for you, the best winter athletes on our planet. From this moment on you are not only the best athletes, you are Olympic Athletes. You will inspire us with your outstanding sports performances. You have come here for sports. You have come here with your Olympic dream. The International Olympic Committee wants your Olympic Dream to come true. This is why we are investing almost all of our revenues in the development of sports. The universal Olympic rules apply to each and every athlete- no matter where you come from or what your background is. You are living together in the Olympic Village. You will celebrate victory with dignity and accept defeat with dignity. You are bringing the Olympic Values to life. In this way, the Olympic Games, wherever they take place, set an example for a peaceful society. Olympic Sport unites people. This is the Olympic Message the athletes spread to the host country and to the whole world. Yes, it is possible to strive even for the greatest victory with respect for the dignity of your competitors. Yes, Yes, it is possible – even as competitors – to live together under one roof in harmony, with tolerance and without any form of discrimination for whatever reason. Yes, it is possible – even as competitors – to listen, to understand and to give an example for a peaceful society.”

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/heres-the-anti-discrimination-message-nbc-cut-from-sochi-opening-ceremony/

It's time to call the horse-$hit alert on NBC and Bob Costas regarding Russia's oppression of gays. Bob Costas also praised Putin as a peacemaker.

Edited February 9, 2014 by ExChinaExpat (see edit history)