As the WSJ fires the head of Hong Kong’s biggest press union, sources tell us this is only the tip of the iceberg — numerous foreign outlets have pressured employees to keep away from local unions.
I am not sure how these media organizations think they can maintain credibility in their coverage of Hong Kong and the PRC when they are so desperately trying to avoid angering the relevant organs. Any reader is justified in asking why they should believe that these organizations who prevent their staff from joining these industry groups are not also selectively self-censoring to avoid angering Beijing? The pressures to shape coverage of China from Beijing are real and intensifying, on both media outlets and think tanks, and if these organizations show an unwillingness to stand up because they want to preserve access and in some cases revenue then their credibility will be damaged even more.
So, following your link about "hit pieces targeting the FCCC" I find a Global Times article showing how a German TV station appeared to mislead a Chinese football team's coach about why they wanted to interview him: "the aired program contained a lot of politicized content, and used out-of-context quotes to smear China's women's rights issues, and by extension, attack China's epidemic prevention policies."etc.
Why is that a "hit piece"?
Does the freedom of the press that you promote include the freedom to lie and deceive?
When does news become propaganda?
Here in the UK just about the only news about China we get on our main outlets, including the BBC, is negative. It certainly seems like propaganda to me.
In which case, why shouldn't the Chinese play the propaganda game too, especially as their message to the world is actually a lot less aggressive than the West's
I am not sure how these media organizations think they can maintain credibility in their coverage of Hong Kong and the PRC when they are so desperately trying to avoid angering the relevant organs. Any reader is justified in asking why they should believe that these organizations who prevent their staff from joining these industry groups are not also selectively self-censoring to avoid angering Beijing? The pressures to shape coverage of China from Beijing are real and intensifying, on both media outlets and think tanks, and if these organizations show an unwillingness to stand up because they want to preserve access and in some cases revenue then their credibility will be damaged even more.
So, following your link about "hit pieces targeting the FCCC" I find a Global Times article showing how a German TV station appeared to mislead a Chinese football team's coach about why they wanted to interview him: "the aired program contained a lot of politicized content, and used out-of-context quotes to smear China's women's rights issues, and by extension, attack China's epidemic prevention policies."etc.
Why is that a "hit piece"?
Does the freedom of the press that you promote include the freedom to lie and deceive?
When does news become propaganda?
Here in the UK just about the only news about China we get on our main outlets, including the BBC, is negative. It certainly seems like propaganda to me.
In which case, why shouldn't the Chinese play the propaganda game too, especially as their message to the world is actually a lot less aggressive than the West's