Jul 10 2008
What do you see when you look into Beijing’s Sky?
“Do you report about Beijing getting good weather?”
I recently posed this question to two friends working in the media. After all, so much has been said about the pollution and bad air in Beijing in the mainstream media.
My logic for asking the question was simple. You see, if bad news, and for that matter, odd news, make good news, and if the bad air in China gets so much publicity in the media because of its “bad” factor, wouldn’t it be news that it gets the “odd” blue-sky day?
Both instances were met with an embarrassing silence.
In Conversation A, the friend said, “But Beijing has never had blue skies.
Now, I may not have been in Beijing for a very long time, but I do remember a few occasions during the last winter in which I was quite delighted to see sunny, blue skies.
In fact, I even have footages of the Beijing skyline with blue skies with fluffy white clouds filmed during those times.
(For those of you who really want to know, according to statistics released by the city’s Bureau of Environmental Protection, Beijing hit 246 blue-sky days last year.)
In Conversation B, the friend, a European, argued, “But we were brought up to be critical. We don’t report when something is good.”
Well…point taken. His beliefs are closely tied to the historical, social-political and cultural system of his country. He has his stand.
“Sure, you can be critical,” I said. “But if you choose to write about China, or any another issues, and highlight only the bad, then your readers will only see a negative picture of the country or issue. Is that fair?”
“Yes, we should include the good part in the story, but good news doesn’t make a story,” he maintained.
In both instances, I had to quickly switch the topic of discussion, for I had unwittingly treaded into a minefield, a topic that is close to the hearts of every passionate journalist – journalistic integrity.
I couldn’t get those conversations out of my head.
It’s easy to criticize China for its inefficiencies, inabilities, bureaucracies, and a whole lot of other problems. Even easier, to compare it with nations which have “done it better”, and usually, the US and countries in Europe are hailed as examples.
But often, we run the risk of judging our subjects at face value.
China was lauded for its openness during the Sichuan Earthquake. Journalists had never encountered such freedom in getting around for interviews. You could literally get into the thick of action. It was liberating.
The freedom didn’t last very long, though, as questions about the construction quality of the collapsed schools in the earthquake zone emerged even before the dust had settled.
The authorities are naturally put on the defensive.
Access to school rubble and interviews with aggrieved parents were blocked in the name of maintaining social order.
For about three weeks, the world was free to look into how one of the most populous provinces in China was wrecked and the grief of its inhabitants.
It is difficult to shut that gate now. The world will be left wondering, while its own citizens want answers.
But for a culture that is accustomed to the belief that dirty laundry should not be washed in public, China is struggling to find a balance in the face of scrutiny by an increasingly vocal society, and the intricacies of the same social system that places so much emphasis on guanxi and face at every level.
So, it’s hard to fault any outsider who feels frustrated and slams the way things are run here. Teething problems here do bite.
The pursuit for the truth should continue, but we should not lose sight of the cloud with the silver lining either.
Change is already in the air.
Hey Yee Fong
I am totally on-board with you the fact that human minds always get permanent imprints on the negative stuffs, but negligible recordings on the great doings.
As far as my brain remembers (age-wise), since the mid-70s until this moment, China has come an extremely long way and undoubtedly made leaps & bounds of great improvements & changes. The world saw and is still seeing it. China not only has a silver lining, it is THE place to focus our future potentials and developments.
As in an ancient Chinese saying - Let’s get the frogs out from the wells……
Beijing China does not have blue skies nowadays.. hardly anymore.
Their government was already warned of it by experts who also recommended the Olympics be held in Guangzhou or some other cities in the south.
But of course, Beijing government would not agree to it and wanted it to be held in the capital…
Now, this is going to be the most polluted Olympics in history.
Hi YF
Good writing you got here.
I can relate to your friend’s comment about being critical. However, realistically speaking, I doubt that “every” news report should ONLY focus on the negative side of things.
In fact, I believe that more often than not, I’ve read or seen news reports on good, or positive things. (The Yang factors are there to complement the Yin factors)
Furthermore, most viewers these days are matured enough to discern and judge on a particular issue. It’s relatively easy to see through the motives - whether they are hidden or otherwise - when the subject that is being reported on, is constantly criticized and put on the defensive.
It’s one thing to emphasize on having the capacity to criticize. It’s another to simply find fault with others.
Again, I believe this is one issue that can’t be hastily brought up to everyone’s attention, and quickly decided on.
I chuckled when I read about you, asking your friend about the fairness in news reporting. Obviously, you two are not on a similar wavelength.
Your stand in the little encounter, speaks a lot about your character. And I believe, it’s a positively good one.
p/s: Maybe you could highlight on the “unreliable” Internet connection in Shanghai in your next blog entry?
Hi Yee Fong
Saw you on the news recently that you were outstationed again in China, covering about the security measures there.
Well, whether there are blue skies or not in Beijing, I think important is to see how much they are willing to make the Olympics a success in August. Its’ their greatest moment of their country where all particpants and their country get to see China, some for the first time, and probably could change the mindset of some visitors about China.
It can be simply the food, the hospitality, the traffic system, the way garbage is handled, security measures, etc that can really make a difference to how the world would see this rising nation of Asia
Let’s see how well they would handle this big-scale event. I presume that Yee Fong would be covering the day-to-day activities there as well during August? All the best!
It is still very hazy there in Beijing. Of course, they have improved a little but i find it not good.I think the reason being neighbouring steel factories from Xian blows dust particles to Beijing and because the sheme that they implemented is only short term.But I can see China is opening up to the rest of the World with the Olympics.