My brother knows I'm always on the prowl for examples of bad journalism. Well, not on the prowl, exactly, but I appreciate having examples for demonstration purposes when I'm trying to explain the importance of GOOD journalism.
So Alex sent me this, knowing I would appreciate it: Xinhua publishes story about spaceship launch before event occurs.
I could jump on a soapbox aboout Chinese journalistic "ethics," but I'll simply leave the issue after mentioning other recent missteps:
-Broadcasting footage of a fireworks show during the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, that was not actually of the show taking place at the opening ceremony. It was pre-recorded, "because weather conditions might render the images blurry at the actual event" or some other such fiddle-faddle.
-Failing to point out that the little girl singing at the opening ceremony was in fact lip-synching, because somebody thought "the voice" girl wasn't pretty enough to, you know, be seen in public. Her name is Yang Peiyi, by the way, and she was "crushed," according to her teacher.
"When the deception was revealed and the controversy erupted, the Chinese media insisted that the two girls were quite content and “satisfied” with the switcheroo. But now comes evidence to the contrary." (Globe and Mail's Geoffrey York, Aug. 27, 2008)
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