angry tapir writes "China's film and TV regulator has praised the growth of an iPhone application from state broadcaster CCTV as the country looks for new ways to project its political views abroad. The free iPhone app, one of a growing number from Chinese state-owned news outlets, has gained 500,000 users in the month or so since it went online and is adding 2,000 new users each day, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said in a statement on its Web site. The CCTV app has shown 'favorable performance' and proven especially popular during broadcasts of major events, such as a high-flown military parade held in Beijing last month, the statement said."
To be fair, Canada's not really the hat, either. It's more like the hair, with an ugly growth of the skull sticking out (Alaska). The Caribbean islands are the spittle flecks on the side of our spitoon (the Atlantic).
I always though Alaska was a dick. I mean it is lead by a cunt right?
Certainly USA is a once beautiful long since neglected car, one of those massive land yachts that got a 1/2 mile to the gallon, broken down on the side of the road. Canada is a high performance Ferrari driven by a platinum blond supermodel. And Mexico is a rickshaw.
The parent of my post mentioned Fox. My counterpoint was that MSNBC is Fox News for Democrats. Watch Keith Olbermann sometime. All you have to do to convert him to Sean Hannity is change his talking points around a bit.
There is a significant difference in that MSNBC does not take the things its commentators, like Olbermann, say and then report them as news in its news segments.
I don't Obama using apps for news is a big deal since there are plenty of other places to get news that have various points of view.
If China has an app like this but is letting other news get through... more power to them. It becomes a problem when other POVs are not allowed to be heard.
"The UK's Heritage Minister has praised the growth of the iPlayer application from state broadcaster BBC as the Trust looks for new ways to project its political views. The free flash video streaming, one of a growing number from British state-owned news outlets, has gained 500,000 users in the month or so since it went online and is adding 2,000 new users each day, the BBC Trust said in a statement on its Web site. The iPlayer app has shown 'favorable performance' and proven especially popular during broadcasts of major events, such as a recent royal funeral, the statement said."
But I guess "Chinese government streams television network to iPhones" wouldn't be nearly as fetching.
The BBC isn't state owned. Anyone with a television is forced to pay the license fee, by law, which is basically tax, but they have no government control.
Yeah, right. Next you're going to tell me that NPR isn't part of a vast left-wing conspiracy controlled by Barack Obama and Big Bird! (Big Bird is a euphemism for Bill Clinton.)
The Government have been known to manipulate the BBC trust when the head of the BBC is to critical of bullshit inquiries that say nobody lied in the run up to war. The BBC's charter is also periodically renewed by the government who could (but don't) say that they need to be more supportive of goverment initiatives.
I mean in practice the BBC isn't state run media, but in theory they are.
Yes, but the BBC isn't really looking for "new ways to project its political views". In fact, it's ridiculously neutral compared to literally anything I've seen state-side (even NPR and PBS, which come closest).
Reporting != indoctrinating.
Frankly I'm not too fussed about the Chinese, everyone knows they won't be able to keep this up.
I don't care about the BBC, I care about the inflammatory tone of the summary. CCTV is a network consisting of 19 channels, a small fraction is news that is favourable to the Chinese government but most of it is typical TV crap like talk shows, dramas, and cartoons.
Saying that delivering CCTV over iPhone is a new way to project political views or some form of indoctrination is about as accurate as doing a find/replace of CCTV for BBC in the summary. It is needlessly alarmist, it's a troll written by someone who has never watched TV in China.
I wish more networks would think about making their content available on the iPhone, state-sponsored or not. It's quite convenient. But if someone has an issue with CCTV's content or the lack of free speech in China, they should write accurately about that and not what medium it is delivered over.
Nowm I'm not actually bothered by the Chinese app, I'm all for plurality of opinion. But your analogy is poor. The BBC is not directly funded or controlled by the government, there aren't a growing number (or any?) state-owned news outlets. Apart from that - spot on.
"The government statement also said promotion of the CCTV app on Apple's Web site in China was helpful for its user growth. The Apple site includes the CCTV and China Daily products on a list of recommended apps. "
A red Apple, a hammer and a sickle...why do they operate in groups of three? One can read, one can write and one to keep an eye on the two intellectuals.
So Apple has rejected apps that are "political" (an app about the cost of health care, for one), but they're fine with a Chinese government propaganda app?
Who said anything about propaganda? It's just a video streaming service. Hell, by your logic, an app which allowed you to view Fox News or BBC programming on the iPhone should be banned (the former being "political" and the latter being "state run").
"Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology. Where each worker may bloom, secure from the pests purveying contradictory thoughts. Our Unification of Thought is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people. With one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail!"
Cartoonist Tom Richmond was very excited about his new iPhone application project: He was approached to contribute cartoon caricatures of members of Congress for an app that would allow users to locate and contact their representatives using zipcodes and/or the iPhone's GPS capabilities.
But then Apple rejected the app, after Richmond had done all 540 caricatures, claiming that "it contains content that ridicules public figures and is in violation of Section 3.3.14 from the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement."
Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology. Where each worker may bloom secure from the pests of contradictory and confusing truths. Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prev
I applaud Apple for releasing it. If Apple rejected it just because they don't like what its content, that would be censure and they would be no better that the Chinese government.
I applaud Apple for releasing it. If Apple rejected it just because they don't like what its content, that would be censure and they would be no better that the Chinese government.
Wait, are we talking about the same Apple that censors everything else that goes on the iphone just because they don't like its content?
I applaud Apple for releasing it. If Apple rejected it just because they don't like what its content, that would be censure and they would be no better that the Chinese government.
So, Apple doesn't have a problem with government propaganda, as long as it does not show a bare breast or include a four-letter word.
China has several iphones clones that appear to now run the same apps. So, shortly sales of iphone clones will overwhelm iphones sales with the gov. approval.
Apple products are made in China. I'm not sure how much more help they can give. Oh wait, I know. They can help distribute Chinese government propaganda. Something MS doesn't even do, as far as I know.
You have to realise a few things. For one, even though it is biased coverage (just like every American news channel) China has every right to make an iPhone app just like the BBC has every right too also. And for the record, Microsoft did make an iPhone app called Seadragon that let you view and scale large images. And while there were a few jokes it wasn't called propaganda and even embrace extend extinguish wasn't even brought up much.
Propaganda (Score:5, Funny)
Want to keep your citizens in line, with false statements and a warped view of the world? There's an App for that.
Re:Propaganda (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Too bad MSNBC doesn't have one. Then we could get our warped view of the world from both political extremes.....
Re:Propaganda (Score:5, Funny)
Hahaha, Americans think they have two political extremes! How cute.
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
Since when is a hat larger than the body it's attached to?
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
You've never been to Texas, have you?
Re: (Score:2)
To be fair, Canada's not really the hat, either. It's more like the hair, with an ugly growth of the skull sticking out (Alaska). The Caribbean islands are the spittle flecks on the side of our spitoon (the Atlantic).
I always though Alaska was a dick. I mean it is lead by a cunt right?
Re: (Score:2)
Certainly USA is a once beautiful long since neglected car, one of those massive land yachts that got a 1/2 mile to the gallon, broken down on the side of the road. Canada is a high performance Ferrari driven by a platinum blond supermodel. And Mexico is a rickshaw.
Disclaimer: I am Canadian.
Re: (Score:2)
Don't you mean FOX news?
Re: (Score:2)
The parent of my post mentioned Fox. My counterpoint was that MSNBC is Fox News for Democrats. Watch Keith Olbermann sometime. All you have to do to convert him to Sean Hannity is change his talking points around a bit.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
There is a significant difference in that MSNBC does not take the things its commentators, like Olbermann, say and then report them as news in its news segments.
Re: (Score:2)
I think he'd need a lobotomy to make it a fair comparison to Hannity.
Of all people, Shakrai, I didn't expect to hear moral equivalence coming from you.
Old News (Score:2, Interesting)
Want to keep your citizens in line, with false statements and a warped view of the world? There's an App for that.
Yes, we've seen that before. [barackobama.com] Important "news" from our Dear Leader!
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't Obama using apps for news is a big deal since there are plenty of other places to get news that have various points of view.
If China has an app like this but is letting other news get through... more power to them. It becomes a problem when other POVs are not allowed to be heard.
Re:Old News (Score:4, Insightful)
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
Dissent and disinformation are not the same thing.
Re: (Score:2)
Oppressed? (Score:2)
Needlessly alarmist (Score:5, Insightful)
"The UK's Heritage Minister has praised the growth of the iPlayer application from state broadcaster BBC as the Trust looks for new ways to project its political views. The free flash video streaming, one of a growing number from British state-owned news outlets, has gained 500,000 users in the month or so since it went online and is adding 2,000 new users each day, the BBC Trust said in a statement on its Web site. The iPlayer app has shown 'favorable performance' and proven especially popular during broadcasts of major events, such as a recent royal funeral, the statement said."
But I guess "Chinese government streams television network to iPhones" wouldn't be nearly as fetching.
Re: (Score:2)
NPR (Score:2)
Big Bird (Score:4, Funny)
That's what Monica called Bill, anyway.
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
The Government have been known to manipulate the BBC trust when the head of the BBC is to critical of bullshit inquiries that say nobody lied in the run up to war. The BBC's charter is also periodically renewed by the government who could (but don't) say that they need to be more supportive of goverment initiatives.
I mean in practice the BBC isn't state run media, but in theory they are.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Yes, but the BBC isn't really looking for "new ways to project its political views". In fact, it's ridiculously neutral compared to literally anything I've seen state-side (even NPR and PBS, which come closest).
Reporting != indoctrinating.
Frankly I'm not too fussed about the Chinese, everyone knows they won't be able to keep this up.
Re:Needlessly alarmist (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't care about the BBC, I care about the inflammatory tone of the summary. CCTV is a network consisting of 19 channels, a small fraction is news that is favourable to the Chinese government but most of it is typical TV crap like talk shows, dramas, and cartoons.
Saying that delivering CCTV over iPhone is a new way to project political views or some form of indoctrination is about as accurate as doing a find/replace of CCTV for BBC in the summary. It is needlessly alarmist, it's a troll written by someone who has never watched TV in China.
I wish more networks would think about making their content available on the iPhone, state-sponsored or not. It's quite convenient. But if someone has an issue with CCTV's content or the lack of free speech in China, they should write accurately about that and not what medium it is delivered over.
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
Nowm I'm not actually bothered by the Chinese app, I'm all for plurality of opinion. But your analogy is poor. The BBC is not directly funded or controlled by the government, there aren't a growing number (or any?) state-owned news outlets. Apart from that - spot on.
Value (Score:2)
...And nothing of value was gained?
Re: (Score:2)
What is this question asking? It doesn't parse as an answerable question.
ugh (Score:2)
"The government statement also said promotion of the CCTV app on Apple's Web site in China was helpful for its user growth. The Apple site includes the CCTV and China Daily products on a list of recommended apps. "
A red Apple, a hammer and a sickle...why do they operate in groups of three? One can read, one can write and one to keep an eye on the two intellectuals.
Double standard? (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Who said anything about propaganda? It's just a video streaming service. Hell, by your logic, an app which allowed you to view Fox News or BBC programming on the iPhone should be banned (the former being "political" and the latter being "state run").
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Oh, the irony... (Score:5, Insightful)
"Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology. Where each worker may bloom, secure from the pests purveying contradictory thoughts. Our Unification of Thought is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people. With one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail!"
...now delivered to millions on an iPhone.
This is what China does (Score:2)
Not sure why anyone would be shocked by this.
Apple won't approve of some apps domestically (Score:5, Interesting)
From Here [politico.com]
In other words... (Score:2)
Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology. Where each worker may bloom secure from the pests of contradictory and confusing truths. Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prev
Re:Holy fagioli... (Score:4, Insightful)
And this app was approved by Apple?
I applaud Apple for releasing it. If Apple rejected it just because they don't like what its content, that would be censure and they would be no better that the Chinese government.
Parent
Re:Holy fagioli... (Score:5, Insightful)
And this app was approved by Apple?
I applaud Apple for releasing it. If Apple rejected it just because they don't like what its content, that would be censure and they would be no better that the Chinese government.
Wait, are we talking about the same Apple that censors everything else that goes on the iphone just because they don't like its content?
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
So, Apple doesn't have a problem with government propaganda, as long as it does not show a bare breast or include a four-letter word.
Good to know their priorities are in order.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
If the Chinese were truly communist there would be no sales to pick up.
Not a problem (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)