Chinese state broadcaster criticized over editing

“Jjak,” the reality dating show aired on SBS a few years ago, was popular but often prone to criticism that it was notoriously edited. It was promoted as a reality program, but edited in a provocative and subtle way that distorted the emotions and intentions of the cast. The program was scrapped in 2014 after a female cast took her own life.

Distortion by screen editing is criticized in TV documentary making as well. Michael Moore, an American left-wing filmmaker, has been disgraced. In his documentary movie “Manufacturing Dissent” in 2007, Moore misled viewers by portraying himself failing to interview the chairman of General Motors when he actually did.

A Chinese state broadcasting station was turned out to have edited an interview with Korean President Moon Jae-in. China Central Television broadcasted an interview with President Moon on Monday, deliberately taking out the president’s words that “it is certainly not a new position” regarding additional THAAD deployment and other “three Nos” principles. The program dedicated most of the airing time on the THAAD issue, and interpreted “resolution” as “promise.” It is preposterous that the press, even though a state-sponsored one that speaks for the Chinese leadership, would deliberately omit comments to deliver messages. The moderator repeatedly asked aggressive questions regarding THAAD deployment and urged President Moon to “express the views of the Korean government to hundreds of millions of Chinese viewers.”

During the interview, which was held in last Friday, Moon quoted a Chinese saying, “Awkward at the first meeting, familiar at the second, old friends by the third,” expressing his expectations for the upcoming meeting with his counterpart Xi Jinping. Given the discourteous incident we have seen, however, it seems like it is unlikely. On the other hand, it might be a fortunate opportunity if those seek closer relations with China rather than ties with the United States finally grasps China’s hidden agenda and understand where Korea stands at.