Entertaining or Subverting?: Chinese Television Tries to go Global
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.
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"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 |
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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.
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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 |
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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)
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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 |
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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.
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“Rogers believes Canadians should have as much choice as possible”
Nancy Cottenden, Spokesperson, Rogers, Canada |
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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.
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“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 |
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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.
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"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 |
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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.
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"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 |
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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.
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“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 |
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Protest groups, however, feel confident
that they have sufficient evidence to press their case for refusal of
permission to broadcast.
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"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 |
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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.
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"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 |
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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.
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"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 |
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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.
Original Article: Entertaining or Subverting?: Chinese Television Tries to go Global
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