Posts Tagged ‘China’
Ooh goody! My fave!! Censoring anti-censorship material!
If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck… It may well be a Peking duck. Or Beijing duck, as we say these days.
So says the ABC’s Media Watch on the issue of Chanel 7’s decision to not play GetUp’s ad about Tibet during the opening of that sporty-gathering-thingymibob on Friday night.
As mentioned here on 08-08-08, there was some warning that this would happen.
Having had some personal experience with people refusing to openly discuss censorship issues, you may be able to guess where I stand on this matter.
What about you? I encourage youse all to check out the Media Watch segment on it and come back to discuss.
080808
Today is going to be a good day.
Just quickly, though, I got this email from GetUp and I wanted to share…
Dear Sunili,
If you watched the news last night, you would have seen the lead story – a new GetUp TV ad has hit the headlines as Kevin Rudd arrives at the Beijing Olympics, urging him to speak out on Tibet.
The ad, made with the Australia Tibet Council, is going to air either side of the Opening Ceremony, click here to watch it:
www.getup.org.au/campaign/OlympicSilenceIsNotGolden
We sent the PM a copy of the ad, and he has pledged to raise human rights issues in Beijing. We know this sort of diplomacy works – only last week the PM condemned the media censorship around the Olympics – and the Chinese Government eased the restrictions.
But there is one hurdle left to clear – the Seven Network, in response to the media interest our ad has generated is now denying the fact that we’ve booked the ad space. Unfortunately for them we have on our desks a confirmed booking sheet suggesting otherwise!
Whether or not Channel 7 decide to uphold the values of free speech, you can watch the ad for yourself here:
www.getup.org.au/campaign/OlympicSilenceIsNotGolden
It’s vital that after the Olympics the world does not ‘switch off’ on Tibet – that’s why we’re planning more ads for the closing ceremony and beyond. Stay tuned for opportunities to help get the message out soon.
Thanks,
The GetUp teamPS – Let us know what you think about the Tibet issue and free speech on our blog.
Iiiiiiiinteresting. WTF is up with that, Channel 7?
I’m boycotting the Olympics, btw, just ’cause I like to be fussy and shit. I was gonna go the the gyme tonight, but they’re all Olymaniacal over there at the moment, and no doubt all the fancy little treadmill TVs will be on the ‘Lympics, so I will sit at home all peacefully and read my Dali Lama book or sommink.