Monday, June 18, 2007

Operational guide for China's newspapers


For its thirteen character ad in support of the Tiananmen Mothers on June 4 on the Chengdu Evening News had already a huge effect. ESWN now translates from the New Century Media an account by an old hand of the paper who meanwhile gives a good overview of the way newspapers in China operate.
A very useful overview.
It is so sad for China. The Chinese Communist are so vulnerable that they are afraid of "a thirteen word advertisement that is the size of a cigarette." They are even more afraid of the voices of old people like us trying to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Anti-Rightist Campaign. Can a history written in blood be purged and forgotten?
The people in charge of compiling dictionaries have a huge problem. Six cannot be placed next to four, rightists cannot be mentioned and the Cultural Revolution cannot be reported. If all the disasters in history are not allowed to be mentioned, then can this still be called a nation? The value of history is that it can be handed down, which meant that memory is essential. Presently, the Chinese authorities are most afraid that the people should have memories. What can this idiotic action possibly achieve?

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