English News in China

The news for English-speaking and reading people in Beijing are limited as one would expect. There are two avenues I have discovered to utilize for domestic and international news. The first is the China Daily. The China Daily is the National English Language Newspaper. The second is the international channel produced by CCTV (China Central Television).

Of the two, I have used the China Daily more often. So, I thought I would run through some of the headlines and talk about the type of coverage the readers get.

In Wednesday's edition, the lead story was Olympic related with the headline "IOC: Air is safe for one and all." The story is accompanied by a photo from the opening ceremony dress rehearsal that took place on Tuesday night. The story, as many have in the recent weeks, utilizes positive comments made by the International Olympic Committee and the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee. For the most part the story is balanced but the issue of pollution still remains a popular topic in Beijing.

The other stories on the front are a follow-up on the terror attack in the western part of China, an update on Iran's nuke situation and President Bush's visit to South Korea. For the most part, these stories read unbiased and present multiple sides to stories. Many of the questionable aspects of the stories relates to quoting government sources. Most criticism toward China is focused on the government controlling news and entertainment. So, when a story about pollution in Beijing quotes government officials, it draws skepticism.

Ultimately, I have realized that having the ability to openly criticize the United States' government is a blessing.