Derrick
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- Joined
- Nov 22, 2010
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- 5,085
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- 5
The national Chinese newspaper Xinhua published a propaganda article about China’s foray into space almost two hours before the spacecraft left the launch pad.
Whilst there’s nothing wrong with using the national newspaper to tout the advancements of the ruling government, it’s a bit of a problem when the early article contains a fictitious dialogue between three astronauts aboard the Shenzhou 7 who are supposedly careening through space.
According to the Daily Mail: “The astronaut’s mission, which will feature the Communist state’s first-ever space walk, began at 2.10pm UK time when their rocket blasted into the sky from its base in Jiuquan in the northwestern Gansu province.
But Xinhua’s apparent propaganda article – titled Sleepless Night On The Pacific, Sidelights On The Observation And Control Of The 30th Lap Of Shenzhou 7 Spaceship – was posted on its website more than two hours before.”
A spokesman for the news agency claimed it was published accidentally due to a ‘technical error’. It has now been taken down.
China is well and truly catching up with democratic nations and as the masters of propaganda they are proving to be particularly insightful regarding the uses of the media to shape public opinion.
As newbies to this field one can expect one or two slip ups like that of the CGI imagery with the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony and now this little space walk blunder.
It seems China has yet to learn that the media and the so-called people have enough brains to catch them out when their tactics become a bit too blunt. I would recommend a bit more subtlety and for goodness sake get yourself a decent IT manager.
Whilst there’s nothing wrong with using the national newspaper to tout the advancements of the ruling government, it’s a bit of a problem when the early article contains a fictitious dialogue between three astronauts aboard the Shenzhou 7 who are supposedly careening through space.
According to the Daily Mail: “The astronaut’s mission, which will feature the Communist state’s first-ever space walk, began at 2.10pm UK time when their rocket blasted into the sky from its base in Jiuquan in the northwestern Gansu province.
But Xinhua’s apparent propaganda article – titled Sleepless Night On The Pacific, Sidelights On The Observation And Control Of The 30th Lap Of Shenzhou 7 Spaceship – was posted on its website more than two hours before.”
A spokesman for the news agency claimed it was published accidentally due to a ‘technical error’. It has now been taken down.
China is well and truly catching up with democratic nations and as the masters of propaganda they are proving to be particularly insightful regarding the uses of the media to shape public opinion.
As newbies to this field one can expect one or two slip ups like that of the CGI imagery with the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony and now this little space walk blunder.
It seems China has yet to learn that the media and the so-called people have enough brains to catch them out when their tactics become a bit too blunt. I would recommend a bit more subtlety and for goodness sake get yourself a decent IT manager.