Between times
Two weeks ago, during our coverage of the Olympic Torch relay protests in London, the 成人论坛 broadcast a report from Beijing, suggesting there had been no coverage of the protests, in China. Like much of the coverage associated with the recent trouble in Tibet, it has provoked a lot of discussion in China and on video sites like .
While James Reynolds's report (which you can watch here) was first broadcast on Sunday 6 April at 1900 BST, the items featured on YouTube were transmitted the following day - so the video is disingenuous. However, while it is true that at the time James's report was compiled no Chinese media had reported the protests, between the item being recorded and the report being broadcast, we now understand that some Chinese media did report the protests - although not the main channel, CCTV1, featured in James's report. It was wrong of us to suggest that the Chinese authorities tried to keep news of the protests off the air. When we make a mistake, we need to apologise. I'm happy to do so.
Comments
Well that 'apology' included everything except an actual apology. If you're 'happy to' apologise, then say it!
This reminds me of the time of the miners strike, when a television report on national news showed a film clip of an empty coal train crossing the viaduct in Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. The commentary referred to the fact that no coal was leaving the nearby Sherwood Colliery and that the blockade was working.
Local people would identify that the coal train was in fact heading towards the colliery!
We should never forget that television can easily misrepresent the facts and we rely on the honesty and integrity of the people involved to present the situation fairly.
Will you be apologising on telly in a manner as visible as the original report? Because otherwise it's not really an apology, is it, it's sort of saying "aw, shucks" out of the side of your mouth and hoping no-one will hear you...
It is a matter of degree as to whether an apology is necessary. If the reports are only in the Shanghai Dental Technicians Weekly .........
After watching the youtube report, i was stunned by the well thought out counter attack by the chinese on the bbc's james reynolds, it really does go to show you that the chinese are not really that opressive at all & we can now look at them in a different light, having said that it takes a biiger man to realise his mistake to publicly, and im sure a little humiliated to apoligise.
Thanks, Jon, for this blog. And actually, CCTV news channel (something like 成人论坛 news) did have coverage of the torch relay protests and there were pannel discussions on this topic on the channel.
How many Britons will see this apology? when the hurt is made, twice difficult to mend it.
How about the using ambulance to demonstrate "heavy military presence" thing? I saw you said you made a mistake. but you didn't apologise. I feel that one also needs an apology. Don't you think so?
What more? The 成人论坛 London torch relay live coverage commentators happily call grabbing torch as peaceful protest. Should they not apologise?
Why did the 成人论坛 make too many mistakes in such short period and all regarding China? Coincidence? I hope so.
You should also apologise for your bias boardcasting on torch relay in london.
I think that not just this news mislead all audience from 成人论坛. We chinese has been keeping all what 成人论坛 reported, reporting about chinese news, these for future eviedenc to sue 成人论坛 unfair, truthless and mislead all of worldwide audience, we will let 成人论坛 pay us back.
Dear Editor,
I appreciate your effort and thanks for your apology (as insincere as it was). However i can't help pointing out the following:
1. James said in his report: "The Chinese Communist Party has a simple rule, it won't show any pictures which ruin this country's idea of a trouble-free games". Evidently, this rule does not exist and I feel this remark was extremely unprofessional and self presumptious. James Reynolds seemed to me, lacks some of the most fundamental professionalism of being a journalist. Most importantly it gave out the wrong message to, and misled, the British general public about the modern China, ONCE AGAIN. I can safely say that the damage, which had already been done by repetitive broadcasts of this report through 成人论坛's main channels, is so great, that your apology on this blog simply could not justify.
2. I also noticed that you particularly made a point on the fact that when the report was initially broadcast there weren't yet any report of the event in Chinese Media. However, I would like to point out that I saw the same report repeated on 成人论坛's midnight news on 6th April. The same report stayed on 成人论坛's website for several more days. Doesn't the 成人论坛 have a continuing fact checking responsibility on the stories you put on air? I think you can see why it's hard for me to believe the 成人论坛's impatiality.
I belive it is only appropriate, if the 成人论坛 apologises, and more importantly, makes corrections of its mistake on the same programs that it had broadcast this false report. Otherwise, as a 成人论坛 Licence payer and a Chinese citizen, I would have no choice but to seek further justice from Ofcom.
Regards.
Jia Xu
This is not the only thing you should apologise, and don't pretend this to be just another caseul mistakes you make by playing it down towards the end. 成人论坛 would never be forgiven by Chinese people.
The result of your coverage over the Olympic relay in London is a more united China. So thank you.
James said in his report: "The Chinese Communist Party has a simple rule, it won't show any pictures which ruin this country's idea of a trouble-free games".
This is not just the issue of the wrong suggestion. This is totally a biased, jaundiced, one sided view, which is totally anti China. I am very dissapointed in your news reporting service lately. I guess now what we are hearing is being edited to what you like us to hear.
成人论坛 was my favorite media before the Tibet incident. But now, I realize that 成人论坛 coverage of Chinese issue are full of lies.
If 成人论坛 doesn鈥檛 fire the biased correspondences, 成人论坛鈥檚 reputation in Chinese community will be (has been) deeply damaged.
Jon just gave us an excuse for James鈥檚 鈥渕istake鈥.
But I don鈥檛 understand why:
1,James used several times 鈥渨on鈥檛鈥. How dare a journalist judge the future events based on his silly bias?
2, it took 成人论坛 2 weeks to realize this 鈥渕istake鈥?
3,Jon said 鈥渁t the time James's report was compiled no Chinese media had reported the protests鈥..鈥 How many Chinese media had 成人论坛 checked at that time? I am not going to be fooled by this kind of excuse.
When you make a mistake, you need to apologise. That鈥檚 right.
When you deliberately make a 鈥渕istake鈥, for 成人论坛 won sake, apology is not enough to recover its reputation.
apologise not accepted by me, a Chinese individual. I see you did not realised what you have done wrong on the 6th April in London, which your apologise is much more needed.