As i-Cable ceases operations, we get yet another reason not to watch TV any more. Under new licensing conditions, on-air TV and radio stations will have to broadcast at least 30 minutes of national education and identity a week.
…questions have been raised over whether the mandated content would prove effective in getting the intended messages across, with one media expert saying the government should address the reasons behind residents’ reticence towards the state, rather than churning out propaganda.
An official examination of ‘reasons behind residents’ reticence towards the state’ must be 100 times more unlikely as an independent inquiry into government handling of Covid.
On the subject of ‘churning out propaganda’, I don’t usually look at the wearisome My Take self-parody column in the SCMP, but took a peek today. Building up to hackneyed anti-Western tankie stuff, he asks…
Why did Hong Kong enjoy more democracy and freedoms for more than two decades under Chinese communist rule than it ever did under British colonialism?
…Beijing was perfectly willing to accept democracy in Hong Kong…
First, I didn’t notice any extra ‘democracy and freedom’ in Hong Kong in 1997-2019 compared with the pre-handover 1980s-90s. But the key fact here is that since the 1950s the PRC had specifically warned the UK not to introduce representative government in Hong Kong. The Brits were more than happy to democratize 50 or so other colonies in the 1940s-70s.
Second, the CCP was absolutely not ‘willing to accept democracy in Hong Kong’, assuming we define democracy in the normal sense of having free and fair competitive elections. Beijing made it overwhelmingly clear in 2014 that the city could elect its Chief Executive only if it decided who was on the ballot. Could a Leninist one-party system do otherwise?
Is it just me or does his reference to ‘more than two decades’ seem to implicitly admit that whatever democracy and freedom we had for a while post-1997 are now in any case over?
My Valentine would be the Jack Russell on the right. As for the mutt on the left, I leave her to Alex Lo so they can sniff each other.
Something else: why do we keep reading about policy proposals by Vagina, 689 and “pro Beijing heavyweight” Mr. Tam (old guy with glasses who looks like a school janitor)? They are not the Executive and they are not secretaries. Nobody voted for them and nobody asked for their worn-out “patriotic” opinions.
what are you talking about, hemlock. You didn’t feel the extra democracy? It was in the air!
Someone’s knockin’ at the door
Somebody’s ringin’ the bell
Someone’s knockin’ at the door
Somebody’s ringin’ the bell
Do me a favour
Open the door
And tell em to naff off
@Joe Blow – they all have official positions, albeit largely meaningless ones, in the CCP political structure (what does an ExCo Convenor do exactly?) As for their proposals, it is a common tactic for governments to float policy proposals through supposedly independent people to test reactions to them before making them official (or quietly dropping them).
Leaving aside the reason why the Brits didn’t introduce democracy, what part of “the British were pretty shite, therefore we’re justified in being worse” is supposed to sound appealing? That’s like “your ex beat you, so I can beat you too.”
Re: Vag – Thanks for the insta-limp image to ruin the Day. Or month. That “woman” has issues (did she have some thwarted Miss Hong Kong dreams at one time or prom queen fantasies??)
@Joe Blow: “As for the mutt on the left, I leave her to Alex Lo so they can sniff each other.” LMFAO!! Thanks!
Broom Head becomes Butterfly Head this year. Who chose that background!
But we already have “30 minutes of national education and identity a week’.
On TVB its called ‘Straight Talk’, HKIBC “Beyond the Spotlight”, Viu has “Talk the Walk’, although they do slip up occasionally and stray from the “Good Story’. Flicking through you find similar series on the Canto channels.
These days it pays to keep the remote within easy reach.
We have to put up with that godawful screeching hypocritical national anthem every day before any news programme du jour. Mary obviously calls the defence correctly. Most days I can’t bear to listen anyway. Maybe this is John Lee’s obsession with KSA and UAE and their call to grovel at set times? I really really hope ARAMCO lists in Lux or ABHK.
On behalf the British people whose feelings have been deeply hurt by the baseless smears of this so-called columnist, I would advise him to go forth an multiply.
Host announced today: RTHK Money Talk is to be revamped. It was only a matter of time before it morphed into another Back Chat style emasculation with any negative comment on China and HK economies verboten and those guests with views that are not in line with the Good Story eliminated.