MADRID—In an act celeberated at the Moncloa Palace in late February, Spanish public television signed a covenant of cooperation with CCTV, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party. It is expected that apart from exchanging cultural programs and news, technological collaboration will also be on the cards.
Chinese public television is transmitted in Spain under the signal of CCTV-E, since Nov. 1 2008, through an ADSL television platform hosted by the Telefónica company. But it is now through the collaboration agreement that, in the words of Spanish director of television, Javier Pons, “mutual understanding between the two peoples will deepen.” In his assessment, they will exchange content, experiences, and also collaborate in delivering High Definition.
The surprising agreement has already aroused a certain degree of argument, given that it is common knowledge that a lack of veracity characterizes Chinese state media, which is considered a puppet of the Chinese regime.
Taking it at face value, the agreement seems beneficial for all, bringing with it exchange between two cultures. But looking at it a little more carefully, first is the question of principles, then that of logic. It violates ethical principles to collaborate with a media which has been internationally denounced for manipulating information on ‘sensitive’ subjects for the Chinese communist regime, including Tibet, Falun Gong, ethnic Uighurs, Taiwan independence, Christians, Protestants, and more.
In terms of logic, two questions appear to rear themselves: how is a television network accustomed to liberty of expression and information going to transmit and receive information from another network which is by definition censored? In reference to the exchange of professionals, what is there to learn from those who do not know freedom of expression? Or is it thought that freedom of thought and expression may be contagious to those that don’t have it?
Chinese public television is transmitted in Spain under the signal of CCTV-E, since Nov. 1 2008, through an ADSL television platform hosted by the Telefónica company. But it is now through the collaboration agreement that, in the words of Spanish director of television, Javier Pons, “mutual understanding between the two peoples will deepen.” In his assessment, they will exchange content, experiences, and also collaborate in delivering High Definition.
The surprising agreement has already aroused a certain degree of argument, given that it is common knowledge that a lack of veracity characterizes Chinese state media, which is considered a puppet of the Chinese regime.
Taking it at face value, the agreement seems beneficial for all, bringing with it exchange between two cultures. But looking at it a little more carefully, first is the question of principles, then that of logic. It violates ethical principles to collaborate with a media which has been internationally denounced for manipulating information on ‘sensitive’ subjects for the Chinese communist regime, including Tibet, Falun Gong, ethnic Uighurs, Taiwan independence, Christians, Protestants, and more.
In terms of logic, two questions appear to rear themselves: how is a television network accustomed to liberty of expression and information going to transmit and receive information from another network which is by definition censored? In reference to the exchange of professionals, what is there to learn from those who do not know freedom of expression? Or is it thought that freedom of thought and expression may be contagious to those that don’t have it?
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