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Chinese media aggressive in covering quake
2008-05-14
Bodies buried under mounds of rubble, bloodied survivors pulled from debris, weeping family members begging for information -- the stark images have blanketed Chinese newspapers and television broadcasts for days. In the aftermath of the worst quake in decades, the country's media have mounted an aggressive effort to cover the disaster in a major departure from China's past tendency to conceal crises. State broadcaster China Central Television has provided nonstop coverage since the 7.9-magnitude quake hit Monday in central Sichuan province, airing fresh reports of the ongoing rescue effort from journalists dispatched across the stricken area. The official English-language China Daily devoted its front-page to pictures of orange-suited rescue workers pulling out survivors and stories displayed against a black background in a sign of mourning. Other newspapers had special sections taking up half to three-quarters of their pages on the rescue and relief efforts. The coverage is remarkable given China's historical response to disasters. Three decades ago, authorities downplayed the impact of a devastating earthquake that hit the city of Tangshan and refused international aid, concealing a death toll of at least 240,000. In recent times, China's denials during the SARS epidemic in 2004 led to widespread international criticism. "The old traditions in reporting bad news were to cover up and to block, but it's very different now," said Shao Peiren, a mass media professor at Zhejiang University in Beijing. "The Chinese media have been able to bring the facts to the public quickly and objectively." Part of that is due to more professionalism in journalism, but part of it is also a reflection of a more open government, he said. "It shows the Chinese government is more confident than ever: It has realized that by sharing the news candidly, it can win the support of the public and the understanding of its people," Shao said. The country's normally tightly controlled state media were apparently given a tacit green light to fully report on the extent of the disaster, said Xiao Qiang, a journalism professor at the University of California at Berkeley. Xiao, who is also founder of the influential China Digital Times Web site, said he believes the government decision to be responsive allowed the media to take the lead. "This time, the fact that the government from the top, starting with (Premier) Wen Jiabao, responded to the situation, really made a big difference," he said. "The agenda is being led by the media, which is different than many cases before."
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