links for 2008-04-01

• Reporters sans frontières - Classified memo reveals government strategy for “managing” foreign journalists
  Reporters Without Borders has obtained a classified memo from Chinese sources that sets out the behaviour that government officials should adopt with foreign journalists before and during the Beijing Olympic Games.
  (tags: olympics propaganda journalism internet news china chineseinternetresearch)

Comments

[MH]

oh my, we don't classified memos to know this. My university in London has been running "media management" courses for Chinese officials for a couple of years now in preparation for the Beijing Olympics.

[B]

Why are "criticisms of foriegn media bias by the Chinese Government" unacceptable to RWB?

Its extremely ironic that an organisation which is about free speech argues that "criticisms" are "unacceptable".

It might not be true, or you might disagree with it, but how can it be "unacceptable"?

[Charles Liu]

Gee, I wonder how much did the NED and European Commission had to pay RSF to get this propaganda out?

R, it is public knowledge RSF receives funding from NED and EC - the CounterPunch and Le Monde articles are listed in Wikipedia.

But again, you have neglected to mention this.

[Charles Liu]

Check this out, RSF even takes money from the Taiwanese government thru quasi-government organization TFD:

http://www.rsf-chinese.org/spip.php?article59

"多亏财团法人台湾民主基金会的协助"

Taiwan Foundation for Democracy is a carbon copy of the NED, funded by ROC's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[barnychan]

Charles you make a lot of noise over the nefarious funding of certain organizations, but I'd like to point out that we'd all take you a lot more seriously if you came clean over the primary source of finance for The Chuck Liu Implants for Despotism Fund. Whilst it's fairly well known that this organization is HQ'ed in Naypyidaw, which has caused concern in itself, very few people are aware that the board of governors includes the following volatile mix: Kim Jong-il; Abimael Guzmán; Mikhail Kalashnikov; Jeb Bush; and Snuppy the Puppy. Do you have anything you'd like to say on this matter? Do you really expect us to believe that the organization limits itself to its stated aims of promoting cosmetic surgery and despotism in the world? Or is there, as I suspect, a far more sinister agenda..?

[mahathir_fan]

Charles, Thanks for the enlightenment again.

I don't trust all these NGOs. It seems like even if their birth were genuine and original aims were nobel, these NGOs very quickly get themselves infiltrated by people with hidden agendas.

Sometimes, I think ordinary folks are too emotional to wanting to be proven right. It reminds me of those soccer fans. They scream their lungs out, make lots of sacrifice, yet I think sometimes they forget that even if the team they are rooting for wins, they still leave home empty handed. They might feel happy for a while, but the real winners who goes home with the cash, the trophies are the players, not the fans. It is therefore a bit pointless for the fans to get emotionally scarred or physically harmed by fans of the other soccer team when both sides disagree because both side gonna go home empty handed anyways.

Highly emotional fans actually benefit the players because you get more ticket sales. It would be smarter for fans from both sides to unite and demand the players share their winnings with them.

[barnychan]

Here's another one for Charles to deconstruct:

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17708

[mahathir_fan]

noticed, that despite the recent anti CNN protests, the Western media are steadfast on pushing forward their agenda.

yes, they misled their people with the wrong photos. but a quick survey of their media in the past few days shows that they have now corrected their photos. their photos now say "nepal police" or "protests in kathmandu", yet their story still sides with the rioters. the plight of the HAN Chinese who were killed by the Tibetans is hardly anywhere to be found.

also, did anyone see Roland's story of how the Tibetans did not even spare the life of a Han teenager? see: http://www.zonaeuropa.com/weblog.htm

this recent spat of violence have spurred me as a Han Chinese to make a trip to Lhasa soon. I must survey the area personally. I wish that I could move to Lhasa myself in order to protect my people but for now I will settle for a visit in order to show my defiance and support for the victims in Lhasa.

[Charles Liu]

MF, u r welcome.

Just so I'm not talking smack, RSF and TFD's funding from ROC Foreign Affairs Ministry is public knowledge:

http://www.tfd.org.tw/english/about.php?id=en0101

"Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy project in 2002
...
In January 2003, the Ministry obtained the support of all
political parties to pass the budget for the Foundation in the
legislature"

[mahathir_fan]

"http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17708"

Dude, I have heard this all and its all BULL. In the 80s and 90s, these organizations were in full blast about the dictatorship of Dr. Mahathir in Malaysia. About his power abuses, about his human rights abuses.

But guess what? He stepped down 5 years ago, and he is STILL A FREE MAN. Nobody has yet to successfully tried him in the court of law (despite him being the no. 1 enemy of our current PM ).

If Amnestry Internatinonal or Human Rights Watch want to prove their worth and credibility they should go after past dictators who are now powerless. Afterall, with people like Dr. Mahathir, now is the best time to strike him back. Get Dr. Mahathir in prison for his past abuses.

Why, cannot? If Amnesty or Human Rights Watch cannot get Dr. Mahathir in prison that only tells me that their accusation on him 20 years ago were just lies and PR stunts. Our current PM, Badawi is not going to protect Dr. Mahathir if Amnesty or Human Rights Watch decide to take action in the court of law because they are now enemies.

The truth is Amnesty and Human Rights watch cannot take action on Dr. Mahathir, cannot dig out their old files on him for one simple reason, their accusations levied on him 20 years ago were BASELESS.

The same is true with their accusations on China today.