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Entertaining or Subverting?: Chinese Television Tries to go Global
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posted Monday, 10 April 2006
In a move that is sure to please Canada's sizable Overseas-Chinese community, the country's largest basic cable provider, Rogers Cable, has announced that it is to push forward with a deal that could bring some of China's best known television stations to North American cable for the first time.
The deal, which will see Rogers working in association with the China International Television Corporation in order to bring 9 Cantonese and Mandarin language stations (known as 'The Great Wall' package) into Canadian markets, was reach after Rogers received 'substantial demand' from Canada's 1+ million strong ethnic Chinese population for additional Chinese language services.
| "We've had literally hundreds, if not thousands, of e-mails from people supporting and asking for these channels" David Purdy, General Manager of Television Services, Rogers, Canada |
The Rogers- CITVC tie-up, which was formalized late in 2005, is currently awaiting approval by the Canadian Radio-Television and telecommunications commission.
It was due to have been cleared earlier this year, but has been was delayed by public consultations being re-opened.
| The Commission has received a request dated 8 September 2005 from the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association (CCTA) for the addition of nine non-Canadian general interest Chinese-language programming services to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis (the digital lists). The nine services originate in mainland China and are operated by China International Television Corporation (CITVC). The CCTA noted that CITVC is a state-owned corporation and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Central Television (CCTV). Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2005-124, Canada |
The channels currently being sponsored for approval by Rogers are:
- CCTV-4 (CCTV International) (Mandarin)
- The Satellite Channel of Southern Television Guandong (Cantonese)
- Southeast TV Station (Fujianese)
- Jiangsu International TV Channel (Mandarin and English)
- Beijing TV (Mandarin)
- CCTV Entertainment Channel (Mandarin)
- Dragon TV (Mandarin and English)
- China Yellow River Television Station (Mandarin)
- Hunan Satellite TV (Mandarin)
| CCTV-4 is a general interest service offering programming in Mandarin. It is a satellite channel mainly serving audiences from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas. It offers Chinese domestic news programs, drama, documentaries and talk shows. The Satellite Channel of Southern Television Guandong is a general interest service offering programming in Cantonese. Its programming includes lifestyle, fashion, entertainment and drama, as well as news and information. Southeast TV Station is a general interest service offering programming in the Fujianese dialect. Its programming includes news, entertainment, sports and financial information. Approximately 2.87 % of the overall weekly schedule is news programming in the English language. Jiangsu International TV Channel is a general interest service offering programming in Mandarin. Its programming showcases the Wuyue culture along the southern Yangtse River and includes news and financial information, entertainment, education, TV dramas, cultural and travel programs. Approximately 2.87% of the service’s weekly schedule is news programming in the English language. Beijing TV is a general interest service offering programming in Mandarin, and has a domestic audience of more than 200 million. Its programming includes culture, history, fashion, lifestyle, travel, sports, technology, entertainment and children’s programming. CCTV Entertainment Channel is a general interest service offering programming in Mandarin. Its programming includes TV dramas, music including Chinese opera, folk arts, Chinese acrobatic shows and gala presentations. Dragon TV is a general interest service offering programming in Mandarin. The service operates 24 hours a day, with more than 6 hours of news programming per day including some English-language news (approximately 0.5% of the overall weekly programming schedule). Its Mandarin programming also includes entertainment, sports, documentaries and drama. China Yellow River Television Station is a general interest service offering programming in 100% Mandarin. It primarily features programs related to teaching and training, including Chinese-language learning, Chinese chess, painting, poetry, operas, local dancing, music, Chinese antiques, Chinese cuisine and cooking, Chinese Kung Fu and traditional Chinese medicine. Hunan Satellite TV is a general interest service offering programming in Mandarin. Its programming includes mainly entertainment and informational programs which capture the pulse and essence of city living in China. Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2005-124 |
Monopoly?
In addition to enriching the cultural makeup of Canadian television and providing valuable native language material to Canada's Chinese community, it is hoped that the Rogers-CITVC tie up will act to stimulate Canada's stagnating Chinese language broadcasting sector, which is currently dominated by 新時代電視 (Fairchild TV), Canada's only nationwide Chinese language broadcaster.
| “Rogers believes Canadians should have as much choice as possible” Nancy Cottenden, Spokesperson, Rogers, Canada |
新時代電視 (Fairchild TV)?
新時代電視 (Fairchild TV) currently produced three Chinese language stations. FTV and Fairchild TV News, which broadcasts in Cantonese and 城市電 (Talentvision), which broadcasts in Mandarin.
Although 新時代電視 (Fairchild TV) runs in association with Hong Kong's TVB, and also includes programming from Chinese-Taiwan and Mainland Chin. However a substantial proportion of its news services are produced within Canada and cover only Domestic Canadian issues.
According to census results, 68% of Canada's Chinese speakers speak Cantonese, while 32% speak Mandarin.
Criticism?
While broadly welcomed by Chinese speaking Canadians, and those seeking to open up Canadian media to overseas programing, the sponsorship of 9 Mainland Chinese television stations, for entry into Canadian markets, has not been without its detractors.
After having initially closed the deal to public consultation, regulators were forced to postpone the decision making process in March of this year after a number of special interest groups interjected against it on the grounds that the initial consultation period had both been unfair because it crossed a period in which domestic issues were distracting potential campaigners, and because the Chinese media interests had acted unethically in their bid for entry into the market.
| “Accordingly, and given the nature of the concerns expressed, the Commission finds it appropriate to re-open the record of the proceeding initiated by Public Notice 2005-124for the purpose of permitting the filing of concrete evidence in relation to the concerns expressed.“ Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2005-124-1 |
Among complainants against the Rogers-CITVC tie-up were Canadians Against Propaganda, a civil liberties umbrella group that has been picketing Rogers since the Sino-Canadian media tie-up was announced.
Describing the sponsored channels as being 'tools for the prorogation of CCP ideologies' CAP representatives called on Canadian regulators not to approve the deal on the grounds that the channels in question commonly broadcast content that acted to justify or deny crimes against humanity, and that they broadcast content which vilified selected political, religious and social groups so as to legitimize acts of repression or retaliation against them by the Chinese State.
| "many of these programs airing in China would be in blatant contravention of The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Broadcasting Act and sections 318 and 319 of the Criminal Code prohibiting the advocacy of genocide as well as the public incitement of hatred and the wilful promotion of hate propaganda with intent to destroy in whole or in part any identifiable group." Canadians Against Propaganda |
Additional representations were made by the China Insight Research Society; which called for a public inquiry to be held to address concerns that the CITVC had 'mislead' regulators by concealing the fact that it commonly include “hate-inciting language“ in its programs, and by the New Democratic Party Representative Bill Siksay, a member of Canada's lower house; who voiced strong concerns that the channels would include news broadcasts by Xinhua, China's state controlled media agency - which is well know for 'breaching the norms of integrity' in news reporting by 'systematically distorting news stories and events' in order to fit the official Chinese state line on historical, political and social issues.
| "These channels will jeopardize the integrity of our country and we call on our new government to stop them and call on Rogers to drop their sponsorship" Elaine Xie, Co-chair, Canadians Against Propaganda, Canada |
No Done Deals
Although the CRTC has agreed to re-open the case for public comment, it did make clear that did would not tollerate 'China Bashing' and, as such, request that complainants raise the standard of their complaints and include solid evidence to back up their claims.
| “Most of these parties, however, provided little or no evidence to substantiate their positions. Similarly, the parties requesting that the Commission conduct further process provided little or no evidence to substantiate their concerns......... ..........evidence might consist, for example, of transcripts or tapes of actual programs aired on any of these nine services, along with details as to the name of the specific service broadcasting the program or program segment and the date or dates on which it aired. Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2005-124-1 |
Protest groups, however, feel confident that they have sufficient evidence to press their case for refusal of permission to broadcast.
| "We have tapes from those nine TV channels and how they incite hatred. We will file enough evidence for the CRTC to make a good decision," Elaine Xie, Canadians Against Propaganda |
Complainants have until 3 May to file evidence that the approving the 9 channels is not in the best interest of the people.
Irony?
While there are genuine concerns over content broadcast on the 9 Channels, including material that incites hatred or denies Chinese crimes against humanity, some observers have pointedly noted statements in which groups, including CAP, have publicly voiced that the Rogers-CITVC deal should be shut down on the grounds that it would be used to spread 'Mainland political ideologies' and the official state view on new and events.
| "They claim themselves as cultural or entertainment channels, but they really just infiltrate propaganda in their programming." Elaine Xie, Co-chair, Canadians Against Propaganda, Canada |
As such, some observers have voiced that this bares a remarkable similarity to the kind of censorship employed by Beijing; under which international television stations are jammed unless they comply with local policies, and where foreign media groups are refused permission to operate in China unless they present only images that are compatible with Beijing's position of society, culture and history.
| "Although you are helping to facilitate this regime to spread its message of communism and hatred here in Canada, this same regime does not allow one single, uncensored Western media from entering its own borders" Elaine Xie, Co-chair, Canadians Against Propaganda, Canada |
Leading to the awkward question “Should Chinese-Canadians be allowed to watch both western and Chinese television, so that they can make up their own minds?”
Nothing New?
While Rogers is currently seeking approval to bring the 9 channels to Canada legally, many Chinese stations are already available illegally in Canada through unapproved satellite installations.
CCTV-4 broadcasts internationally without encryption; meaning that it can be picked up, free of charge, around the world, by anybody with a suitable satellite dish, and is available as part of many subscription cable packages. It also buys airtime for its programs with independent Chinese language broadcasters, including New York based Sinovision, and provides them with news feeds.
Similarly, Mainland Chinese stations are currently being carried by a number of national and international carries outside of the US, including Rupert Murdock's News Corp; which carries CCTV 4; the Chinese language 'international' channel, CCTV 9; The Official Chinese government 'English language' station, and Phoenix; a general purpose Chinese language entertainment channel.
View Comments/Add a Comment (7)
1. Lady Cooper left...
Tuesday, 11 April 2006 2:58 am :: http://ladycooper.co.nr
I think that it would be really neat to get Chinese programming, not just
for Chinese Canadians, but for non-Chinese Canadians such as myself. I
would love to see what programming is like in China, and I think many
Chinese Canadians would like a taste of home.
2. The Angry Chinese Blogger left...
Tuesday, 11 April 2006 5:02 am :: http://angrychineseblogger.blog-city.com
Chinese TV is a lot less varied than western TV.
3. Lady Cooper left...
Tuesday, 11 April 2006 1:10 pm :: http://ladycooper.co.nr
Well, it'll be better that watching all the crappy American television
shows, which are on the main channels and suffocating out what little
Canadian shows we make.
4. The Angry Chinese Blogger left...
Tuesday, 11 April 2006 3:45 pm :: http://angrychineseblogger.blog-city.com
I guess so.
5. Paul left...
Tuesday, 9 May 2006 10:43 am
Please note that a number of Chinese offerings are available on the web if
you have broadband:
6. v.g.morgan....south wales .u.k. left...
Tuesday, 9 January 2007 11:23 pm
the little i've seen of cctv9 has been informative and generally
unbiased.the world news is to the point and not slanted to any particular
side.the programmes relating chinese history are good.todays programme on
the german quindao forts was excellent.i agree with lady cooper's comments
of 11/4/06 and would add the majority of the bbc's
'entertainment'programmes in the visual and vocal crap that is dished out
to a long suffering public.
7. ACB left...
Wednesday, 10 January 2007 1:04 am :: http://angrychineseblogger.blog-city.com
I gave up watching CCTV9 a while ago, it is what it doesn't tell you rather
than what it does tell you that is the problem. Like Chinese language
television, it is very selective.