China's State-Run TV Uses Daily Show Clip To Demonize US, Viewers Point Out The Irony
from the isn't-it-ironic dept
By now we should all be aware that in many arenas the United States and China are engaged in a giant political pissing match. Everyone by now is also aware of how afraid the Chinese government is of their citizens getting their hands on any information or news that the government hasn't scrubbed more clean than someone with OCD after exiting a sewer. Between porn, those terrifying monks in Tibet, and the infamous Great Firewall, it's all on lock down in what will ultimately be a failed attempt to stifle political criticism from the masses. I say it will ultimately fail because even when China's government does release something that has been scrubbed, it has the potential to become a flashpoint for blowback.
And that's exactly what happened recently when state-run media used a Daily Show clip in which Jon Stewart bashes the US government to play "poke the American bear."
CCTV recently used a Jon Stewart clip to lay into the U.S. over the Guantanamo Bay political stalemate. As SCMP [South China Morning Post] points out, state television's attempt to poke fun at the U.S. with Stewart backfired online in China, with people saying that CCTV was being hypocritical and missing the irony.That irony, of course, is that the Chinese state-run media, whose stated role is to serve the Communist party's interests, attempted to demonize America with a clip that brilliantly showed that our media is free to critique our own government. This is something that wouldn't have been permitted in China, a fact not lost on the online community there.
"There are so many problems happening domestically that you choose not to broadcast every day, but instead choose to smell the farts of other countries," one Chinese commenter wrote in video's comment section.
"This is our country's mainstream media... They just want to divert our attention to problems [of other countries] away from poisonous ginger, tainted milk, gutter oil and undrinkable tap water," quipped another.Now, there are many reasons why oppressive censorship of information just isn't going to work any longer, and perhaps it never really did, but this example of scrubbed information having the exact opposite effect on China's people is a wonderful reason for hope. It's been said that on a long enough time table, everybody's chances for survival goes to zero. I'd make the same argument for oppressive regimes. Eventually, the Chinese people will get tired of being treated like babies, and it looks like censorship fails even when you do it "right."
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: china, daily show, free expression, free speech, irony
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
In World War II, an Italian defector from the Fascist forces was asked what motivated him to defect. He said that his leadership had given his troops copies of "The Grapes of Wrath" to read, to show how terrible America was. But the defector thought about it, and decided he wanted to be a part of a country where such a book could be published.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
source: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2008-04-27/opinions/36883730_1_larry-hagman-southfork-ranch-capit alism
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Ignorance is King!
So let me tell you: it was all about the most basic human needs and instincts, such as: hunger, fear, self-preservation instinct, freedom, etc; and it had nothing to do with American soap operas, or other similar nonsense!
Hell, 70% of the population lived outside TV signal coverage (only the biggest urban centers had, a very limited, TV signal coverage); and only 17% of the population owned a TV in the first place!!!
You remind me of the idiot who said Shakespeare created his brilliant writings because of... copyright !!!
It never ceases to amaze me how American-centric and ignorant some people are.
And, in other news, the Franch Bastille day is, because of... ummm, Coca Cola (yaaay USA, USA, USA)...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Ignorance is King!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: @Jay
The authors of Freakonomics (from the link you provided), are factually wrong (regarding the Romanian revolution):
-"Decreţei are exactly the same people who spearheaded the effort to violently overthrow Ceauşescu's regime in 1989".
Nope! (very wrong, actually)...
The "spearheading" was done by completely different people:
-1- the start was done by elderly religious ethnic Hungarians, from the Protestant Church in Timisoara (town).
-2- after some time, local elderly religious ethnic Romanians joined them, from the Orthodox Church in Timisoara.
-3- after the initial repression, the students from the university joined in.
-4- after work, the factory workers from the large industrial centers joined in.
-5- and then, everybody joined in (the general population).
-6- the revolution spread everywhere in Romania
-7- the lover echelons of the government and Communist party joined in, and started organizing (and taking over the leadership positions);
-8- the popular revolution turned in to a Coup d'�tat.
-9- the army joined in.
-10- the police, and everything else (except the secret service, and other loyalists), joined the fighting
-11- chaotic and blind fighting, everybody shooting at everybody (the vast majority of the victims, are caused by "friendly fire").
-12- the secret service (and other loyalists), give up and abandon the dictator.
-13- the dictatorial couple is captured and executed.
-14- the lover echelons of the government and Communist party take all the power and wealth in Romania (and the stupid and brainwashed shipple of Romania keep them in power, happily ever after).
-15- the end.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: @Jay
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Grapes of Wrath
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
As Will Rogers once said...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
It's an unwinnable game in the long term.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
dumbass
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
You could stand in front of the White House and protest Obama.
You could also stand in Tiananmen Square and protest Obama.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
It would be better to use a VPN, but I rather it be me just so I can say HAHA FUCKERS. "Childish I know.."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Whoever insisted that SOPA was, for all intents and purposes, implemented in US law, must be proud of China and its melamine milk.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Golden
Such a good comment! I approve of this message.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Golden
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Golden
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
this is true of everything.
btw, nice fight club reference
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This statement makes the dangerous assumption that democracy and freedom are natural endpoints of social evolution. Democracy came about in the West through very specific circumstances, and it could dissolve in the future.
If it's something worth having it must be protected and defended from those that try everyday to turn our country into China (falsely believing that censorship and the erosion of civil liberties is the best way to defend the country). We cannot assume or take for granted achieving and preserving freedom takes hard work.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Implying US media is any better in reality.... really ?
The American media model of information suppression is far more evolved than China's.
Still the same shit... just different methods.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Implying US media is any better in reality.... really ?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
"This is our country's mainstream media... They just want to divert our attention to problems [of other countries] away from poisonous ginger, tainted milk, gutter oil and undrinkable tap water," quipped another.
Where are those so I can hit the funny button?! ;)
Nowadays it's ironies from both sides. The US is regularly calling out China for the censorship when it's up an running right inside their borders too, just in alternative, light clothing.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]