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Mahwatthai's Box Box Box
This blog will present and provide a ground of exchange of the broad spectrum of ideas covering the well being of the nation and the people of Thailand
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Thursday , April 17 , 2008
The Pitifully Unprofessional Comment and Conducts of CNN and Its Commentator
Posted by Piset , Reader : 429 , 21:29:08  
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As the Olympic torch was being relayed in San Francisco, while the so called "Free Tibet" protesters, faced a much bigger gathering of about 50,000 Chinese from all over California and North America who drove-in or flew in just to show their support for the first ever Olympic Game in their homeland, in the air, banner carrying private planes of the two group also confronted each other.

Then, one of CNN's commentator, whose name I would not mention in order not to help him glorify his shameful act, said:

"So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed," he continued. "I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years."

and added " its products were 'junk' "

I have two simple questions for anybody with at least any bare minimum intelligent:

1)  If Chinese product were junks, then wouldn't it be rather silly for those western importers and consumers to buy so much of it that has been causing the ever increasing trade surplus, appreciating Chinese currency?  Don't you think those buyers are not any less intelligent that that CNN commentator?

2) The red sea of national flags brought by those 50,000 Chinese students, immigrants, professionals and their friends should be able to tell any sane people that, they certainly have enough reason to show shuch enthusiastic support for they nation than "a nation led by a bunch of goons and thugs" as the CNN commentator said.

I always believe that, "Those who treat others as being less intelligent than themselves are usually not very intelligent themselves."

The final question:

Is this the kind of professional standard that CNN has and will adhere to?


Read comment

comment 26
Piset date : 22/04/2008 time : 20.58
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Oh, me too beginning tomorrow morning and till Friday, I will have to conduct some trainings for the executives from the western companies in China too. No CNN executives in my class this time.
comment 25
Piset date : 22/04/2008 time : 20.56
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Theo:

Wish you a pleasant and successful trip!
Will look forward to your inputs again.

At least, I have neither blacked out any opposing views or call any opponents of my view by dirty names. You have been the same. That has made the discussion fruitful.
comment 24
Theo date : 22/04/2008 time : 18.12

Ha Ha. Piset, you are surely the king of the straw man argument. I just don't know if its intentional or not. No, I am not arguing its entertainment I'm arguing that its editorial, which means you can post these journalistic guidelines a hundred, million, or a billion times, and it still doesn't make them valid to the argument.

I'll have to say good bye for now...I have two full days of work to do and I have to prepare for a trip overseas. When I return, I'll try to write a response worthy of you persistence.
comment 23
Piset date : 22/04/2008 time : 11.05
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Theo:

Thanks for avoiding any further sidetracking.

Then, let's stay on the subject. The issue is certain statements have been made by the employee of CNN on the official live telecast program of CNN. The statement made has insulting Chinese government, and Chinese people. That insulting statement has no supporting evidences to verify how he qualify Chinese government as goons and thugs.

If you read the statement of Code of Ethic of the Society of Journalists, you will notice this statement:

Journalists should:


— Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
— Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.

Now, you might argu that CNN was not a journalist but an entertainer. In that case, its credential as the journalist in the U.S. and in China should be nulliffied.
comment 22
Theo date : 22/04/2008 time : 09.37

I not trying to get into a pissing match with you, Piset. I don't know why you have to follow with vulgarities. I do know vulgarities are often the end result of a failed argument that has no legs to stand on.

Let's get back to fundamentals. You dislike the way CNN treats the China/Tibet issue. That is your opinion, your are entitled to it, I respect you for it, and in that there are no problems. But then you set up a straw man argument where you take an opinion and attribute it as reportive journalism, then you attack it for its failings as reportive journalism, which it is not. I have called you on it, and you have followed with flood of strawmen, none of which makes your original argument anymore valid.

You need to either explain why the statements were not opinion or give this one up.
comment 21
Piset date : 22/04/2008 time : 00.46
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Theo:

If CNN, in your view, is entitle to release any sort of bad air against anybody, then they would be a bunch of air from the rectum.

When truth, fairness and professionality is not respected then they simply admit to be a bunch of slanderous liars who could only turn CNN into a farcing organ.
comment 20
Theo date : 21/04/2008 time : 22.23

Semantics has nothing to do with the argument and neither does the president of France. However, nice attempt at a couple of straw men. Actually, writing that my argument "sounded like a guilty child" is a third straw man, all contained within two short paragraphs. Who now is trying to sidetrack the argument? Look, you are free to dislike what CNN does and I respect your opinion, but quit trying to make CNN into something its not just because you disagree with their message (which is another straw man!)
comment 19
Piset date : 21/04/2008 time : 21.53
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Theo:

You have made some rather good efforts trying on both side tracking and semantics. The fact remains, a slanderous statement was made by a personnel on an official live telecast and news program of CNN. Your argument, at best sounded like a guilty child still trying to avoid making ad admission or apology.

French ambassador, French Senate President and French president have already taken action to retrace and repair the damage caused by CNN'r reporting of French President's possible boycotting of Beijing Olympic (another slander caused by that hooliganistic and irresponsible media).

I do not think CNN or any of its viewers would appreciate any irresponsible, or cowardy act on this case of grossly deplorable and inappropriate public broadcasting action.
comment 18
Theo date : 21/04/2008 time : 20.37

First of all, much of CNN television is entertainment and not journalism. If you are looking to CNN television for quality journalism 24 hours-a-day, you are looking in the wrong place.

Secondly, the examples you cited were opinion and not reporting. You yourself identified the "offender" as a COMMENTATOR and not as a reporter. The commentator has as much right to call the Chinese leaders "thugs" and Chinese products "junk" as you do to call CNN "pitfullly unprofessional." If not, why not? With all due respect, the argument you are putting forth leads one to believe that it is "shameful" only when it is in disagreement with you own opinion.
comment 17
Ian date : 21/04/2008 time : 10.27
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/anterian36

Piset, did not a certain Emperor, of "pottery warriors" fame, destroy all previous books, records, histories of China as he desired all history to start with him?
Did not the communists when they came to power indulge in a similar mass destruction of books and knowledge?
Did not a similar event occur in 1492?

I am proud of the old British Empire, it did much good, it also do much that was bad.
You seem equally proud of China, but you can only see good. Hence your vision is both blinkered and biased, I really don't understand why people bother to argue with you, it's water off a duck's back.
comment 16
Piset date : 21/04/2008 time : 09.53
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Theo:

I am a professional accountant and professional educator myself. Certainly I do understand the voluntary nature of those professonal society's code of conducts. You may also realize the number of references the courts would refer to these code of conducts in the cases involving incompetencies and unprofessional conducts.

In a new topic, I have offered the complete text of the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The apparent on this commenting area might be kind of squeezed:

Preamble
Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice.



Seek Truth and Report It
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

Journalists should:


— Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
— Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
— Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.
— Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
— Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.
— Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations.
— Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.
— Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
— Never plagiarize.
— Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
— Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
— Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
— Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.
— Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
— Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
— Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.




Minimize Harm
Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.

Journalists should:



— Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.
— Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.
— Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance.
— Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone’s privacy.
— Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.
— Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes.
— Be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges.
— Balance a criminal suspect’s fair trial rights with the public’s right to be informed.




Act Independently
Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know.

Journalists should:



—Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
— Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
— Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
— Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
— Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.
— Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage.
— Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.




Be Accountable
Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other.

Journalists should:



— Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct.
— Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media.
— Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.
— Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.
— Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.
comment 15
Theo date : 20/04/2008 time : 23.50

Piset, your presumption was wrong. There is nothing particularly unethical or unprofessional about this CNN piece. Some media may strive to be less biased and more balanced, and this is the media we learn to trust at face value, but there is no professional or ethical requirement that they be that way, particularly in today's world where we have access to thousands of media sources. CNN free to angle the story as they see fit and you are free to disagree with it and dismiss it if you want; you are obviously not in CNN's target audience. And I think China is more than capable of presenting an opposing viewpoint.
comment 14
Piset date : 20/04/2008 time : 21.45
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Chinese people throughout the recdnt history have often been regarded by themselves and foreigners as "A Nation of Sand Pebbles" for the amazing lack of collectiveness or cooeprations between them.

With that in mind, then take a look at the huge gathering of Chinese students, professionals and busienssmen in Paris, London, and Los Angeles yesterday.

First the number of the gathering is amazingly huge at each of those demonstrations.

Second, each of those demonstration have centered on two words, "Truth" and "Stop Lying" against the western media.

That should be sufficient to demonstrate the completely out of place conducts of those media plus the huge pressure that they have caused the otherwise "uncooperative and uncordinated" Chinese people to gather in such a huge showing.
comment 13
Piset date : 20/04/2008 time : 21.36
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Theo:

Media is a public means of getting and giving information. I presumed that there was a subject call professional ethic both in school and in the professional society of this journalists.

The case i cite is merely a small publicizing effort on my part to show the unethical conducts of these western media individually and collectively in the topic mentioned.

For your analogy, in giving the student a grade for his course, I always regard the "grade" as a property of the society not my own. I must tell the society the truth about the student's level of accomplishment in such a course of study according to a set of objective criteria, not because of my preference abou the student or what I have felt about the student or his family.

The western media have been behaving like the drunken professors giving the A grade to their favorite and always gving an F to China even when it become necessary for them to fake the records or the performance of China in the issue.

Can we still call this kind of media, journalist?
Is thee any more respect for "truth," responsibility" or professional ethic is these, "donkey-rear orafice" media?
comment 12
Piset date : 20/04/2008 time : 21.26
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Quote:

"In China the truth is forever hidden, even history get rewritten to conceal the truth"

Ian:

If you were trying to defense an alleged criminal in court with the above statement of empty and unfounded counter attack, it will set no value on any ground of your defense for your defendant at all.

First you need to show "Where and when China has hidden and 'truth' at all?

"How do you know about the "truth" if it was hidden?

"If you know about the "truth" then show it and prove that it was true.

Next, you will need to show that since the "truth" have taken place, what action has China taken to hide it? How have they tried to hide it? How did you find out, how can you prove that what you have found out were true?

Next, you must identify the party who carried out the act to conceal such "truth" and then you need to prove that how such party should be recognize as being "China."

Further, you need to show how the history was presumedly written before? By whom. How do you prove that such history was true,

Then you need to show what was written in place of the old version that you would refer to as being replaced.

You need to prove that the party that have written the history before was not "China" and the party that replace it with new content was "China."

Of course the court and the audience would be very much interested in your credential to calibrate your authoritativeness on the subject and to check your records to verify your professional competency and responsibility in such testimony.

Now, cross examination.
comment 11
Ian date : 20/04/2008 time : 08.52
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/anterian36

What is the difference between telling a lie and concealing the truth? I the West we know the media is biased, we know they sometimes lie, we also know that one section of the media will take great delight in catching another section telling a lie. Read enough and one can eventually get at an approximation of the truth. In China the truth is forever hidden, even history get rewritten to conceal the truth.
Is there any real difference between hiding the truth in China and distorting the truth in the West.
If China did not hide the truth the West would find it much more difficult to distort the truth.
comment 10
Theo date : 19/04/2008 time : 19.00

Piset:

You are causing yourself unnecessary stress which will surely shorten your life. All media is biased. The fact that you are reading an article means that someone has decided that the subject you are reading is more important than another that goes unreported. And all media is presenting someone's point-of-view. The solution is to accept media for what it is, gather your information from as many sources as possible, always keep in mind the author's point-of-view, and then make up your own mind, which then simply becomes your point-of-view. If you don't like CNN, ignore it, but don't get angry with it.
comment 9
Piset date : 18/04/2008 time : 23.46
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Felix:

Simply because the American had butchered so many American Indians in its history does not give the Ethiopian news reporter the right to lie and insult Australian government and its people groundlessly.

I hope that this analogy will get you concentrated on relevancies. Otherwise, all your argument can be presented at any issue dealing with China ranging from the DNA coding to the Sand storns in Xinjiang.
comment 8
Piset date : 18/04/2008 time : 23.43
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Felix:

Although your points sounds logical, it is irrelevant at this point. We simply cannot dodge the issue of the evidently unprofessional conducts of a media and its commentator by refering some generalization of another case whichi is not the issue at this moment.\

We must handle one issue and one defendant in one case at a time. Please do not fog CNN's guilt by going out of the issues.
comment 7
FelixQui date : 18/04/2008 time : 22.53
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/FelixQui

Piset wrote: "My point here is, a news media must give a coverage that, as much as possible, enable the listeners and viewers to gain a picture of what really happened, from all angles, from all view points. "
I agree completely.
And that requires that there be no censorship. When Piset finds errors or other defects in CNN's reporting of events, he is free to present a correction. That is the problem with China - it's censorship makes such corrections impossible, so that Chinese living in China who can not access unapproved sources necessarily can NOT know the truth about Tibet, the issues surrounding Olympic protests, Tien An Men, or any other topic which is censored by the state, which is rather a lot. Such ignorance is always a certain consequence of censorship, and when it is on a matter of public interest, then a well informed opinion is literally impossible unless a citizen breaks the law to subvert the officially imposed ignorance of censorship.
comment 6
Piset date : 18/04/2008 time : 21.49
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Happy Songkran to All:

You all have made a lot of apparent truthful and reasonable ponts especially where individual's pursuit for one's preference way of living is concerned. I respect that right too.

My point here is, a news media must give a coverage that, as much as possible, enable the listeners and viewers to gain a picture of what really happened, from all angles, from all view points. For example, when the Olympic torch went through London, Paris and San Francisco, all you see in the western TV screens were the scene of the Free Tibet protest. Very rarely would any of these TV show the counter part demonstrations by the Chinese people appealing for the respect of history, and the respect for the truth in reporting. . . .

When news media simply construct their news story based on their own biases, then there is certainly no journalistic value of fact reporting to any of the viewers. I would regard this as a betrayal of journalistic professional responsibilities.

As an individual, expressing one's view, anyone could say anything they wish to say. Certainly, his creditability would be affected if he tend to be biased or prejudiced. However, when an individual represents a "trusted" news media, he has no ground to exercise his personal prejudice. He must report the truth and the whole truth. He must pursue and research and analyze so that he himself not be taken by his or other's unfounded, biased, or irrelevant views.

That is what this blog is all about.

Further more, for a commentator to utter any insult on the people and the government of a nation through the satellite TV news without due cause, without reasonable support for such slanderous statement, then, I believe such person should be removed from the journalistic profession.
comment 5
Obeyno1kinobe date : 18/04/2008 time : 13.22
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/obeyno1

Piset, good to see you back on track after Song kran.

This CNN excerpt doesn't seem very balanced. Although, I expect a lot of people in the US look at China with more distrust than other places given it is a communist one party state.

I think China has come a long way. And has some way to go to in terms of economic and social development, down whatever path it chooses. But I expect life now is better in China for the majority than it has ever been. Especially since Mao left the scene.

While CNN isn't my first choice, I'm not sure if the factual, balanced view, in depth scorecard for CNN is any worse than Chinese media.
comment 4
Ian date : 18/04/2008 time : 10.30
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/anterian36

I stopped watching CNN many years ago, it is far too biased. As such it becomes a sitting duck for people like Piset to shoot at.
If Piset wants to really builds a case he needs to deal with the heavyweights, and internationally. Particularly in his own back yard, the "Straits Times", "Indian Times", "Asian Times", even AlJazeera.
comment 3
FelixQui date : 18/04/2008 time : 00.34
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/FelixQui

I only watch CNN for about ten seconds once every couple of years or so, but it obviously appeals to a lot of people.
I agree with Piset that such remarks as those he has reported do not improve CNN's reputation.

Nonetheless, there are real and well founded reasons to protest against China's persistent violation of human rights, and those who want to protest peacefully have every right to do so to get their message across, except of course within China where ignorance for the people is preferred.

Piset is fortunate that in Western countries, and in thailand to a much greater extent than in China, he is able to take part in a discussion such as the one he has just started here. I don't think he would get such a tolerant reception if he posted, rather, if he attempted to post, any comment so critical of the Chinese state media within China. Fortunately, the US, Thailand, and all Western countries are less prone to violate such basic human rights as is China. People here and in Western nations are permitted to seek information and to share their ideas and information, as Piset so regularly does on this Blog forum.

And much of the fuss is a well deserved result of CHina's oppressive policies with regard to Tibet. I am not denying that the Chinese have done things that appear to have helped Tibet; for example, the Tibetan GDP has, for the past few years, been growing at an impressive rate - almost as much as that of CHina itself. However, it is equally obvious that the Tibetans do not want the Chinese there, and the economic benefits within Tibet are perceived by the Tibetans as being largely taken by Han Chinese who have moved into (been moved into) Tibet to colonise the country. Not unnaturally, the locals are not very happy about that, nor do they like being dicatated to by Beijing rulers.

The Tibetans are acting very sensibly in using the Olympics to get their message across to a wider audience, and they are succeeding very well. The headlines in today's Nation prove their success.
comment 2
Piset date : 17/04/2008 time : 22.04
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/mahwatthai
Piset

Khun Lalida:

in 1972, while teaching as a student teacher in an American High School in San Francisco, I used to ask this question to the class:

"Will those who has used no imported products at all on his/her body today, please raise your hand."

Nobody responded?

I did the same in Thailand and China. Many raised their hands!
comment 1
Lalida date : 17/04/2008 time : 21.40
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/Real

Right on K.Piset,

This guy sure don't shop too much in his own country, He will be surprised if he can find anything that is made in US of A instead of China, Korea, Phil, Thailand, Cambodia..in his shopping cart.
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