"Today" Show Moves To Beijing, Will Report On Darfur, Human Rights

Monday morning, the Today show begins broadcasting from Beijing where NBC's morning show will be for the duration of the Olympic Games. Matt Lauer is anchoring the program from the Great Wall starting Monday and the rest of the show's cast -- Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry and Al Roker -- is slated to join him later in the week. Even the weekend Today crew of Lester Holt, Amy Robach and Jenna Wolfe will be in China's capital city reporting on the Summer Games.

But the big question for NBC is whatexactly will the Today show be reporting?

Ten days ago, a grassroots group disrupted the taping of the Today show in Manhattan accusing the network of ignoring the Darfur genocide and what Darfur activists call "the China link," the Chinese government's complicity in the crisis in Sudan. Here is a video of last week's Today show protests:

A story appearing in Monday's Los Angeles Times suggests that NBC's morning show plans on tackling the controversial issues surrounding the Olympic Games that the Chinese government would prefer to be neglected, such as Darfur, human rights abuses in China, Tibet and the country's pollution problem.

Jim Bell, the executive producer of Today told the L.A. Times that the program will "answer the call" when it comes to reporting on these hot-button topics. Here's an excerpt from Monday's story.

"I do think there's an opportunity for us to shine a light on some of those questions," said Bell, who disputed the notion that NBC has paid too little attention to Darfur, noting that the subject is something of a passion for "Today" news anchor Ann Curry, who has made several reporting trips to Sudan.

"I think you'll see that we will answer the call," he added. "When there's news, we will deal with the issues as they come."

But it remains to be seen how many tough questions about China "Today" will raise on its own.

"We aren't going to go there as the guests of the Chinese government and deliberately poke sharp sticks in their eyes," said Lauer, who begins broadcasting from China today. "We're not going to go out of our way to do it. But we think there are going to be a lot of opportunities to bring the subject up, based on the events of the day."

Read the full L.A. Times story here

Read more HuffPost Olympics coverage here

Comments

[Pulemerci]

Yesterday, Matt Lauer touted a recent poll conduted in the People's Republic of China. He stated "A very high percentage of the people in China are happy with their lot in life. Something around 80 percent. You compare that to polls in the United States that say only about 25 percent of Americans are."

I guess he didn't see this Gallup Poll conducted December 6-9, 2007, in which 84 percent of Americans said they are satisfied with theway things are going in their personal life, while 14 percent were dissatisfied.

But then again, the latter shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans are happy. Why would he report on that? Does Matt Lauer actually believe that people living in a repressive communist state will answer such a poll question with anything but "Yes we are happy."

There's a lot to be happy about too. Estimates of excess deaths in China from environmental pollution (apart from smoking) are placed at 760,000 people per annum from air and water pollution (including indoor air pollution). China leads the world in capital punishment, accounting for roughly 90% of total executions in 2004. Press control is notoriously tight: the organization Reporters Without Borders considers the PRC one of the least free countries in the world for the press. The state is officially atheist, with accordance to the basic doctrines of Marxism.

Sounds like paradise to me. How about you Matt?

[konig]

~Does Matt Lauer actually believe that people living in a repressive communist state will answer such a poll question with anything but "Yes we are happy."~

You haven't been to China have you?

[Pulemerci]

No I haven't been to China. I have absolutely no desire to go to a Communist country that features both indoor and outdoor air pollution.

[cardineau]

If I were the Chinese Government, I would tell NBC: You may show anything you like, but if you focus on Human Rights, you will have to give equal time of anything critical of China to the murders and destruction of Baghdad by the illegal US invasion.

[BlueZoo]

In the real world, you do a lot of things you find distasteful when you want to do business in a foreign country. It's that simple. I went to Indonesia on business and they confiscated my underclothes in my suitcase when I was going INTO the country. I didn't care about the bra & panties but they took my passport too! The price of getting them back was US$50. I paid it and was let in. I protested vehemently but it didn't matter. When in Rome (or Beijing), you do as they do! You might not like it but it's their country and their rules!

[Bettysdad]

You could have taken your panties back, and left the country, telling the business associate you were there to see that you'll see him when he lives in a modern nation.

I bet the business meant more than ideas, ideals, and ethics.

[apoyo]

Wow! Imagine! They will deign to report on Darfur and human rights. So, will they focus on these issues again during the next Olympics?

[Mauiloa]

"We aren't going to go there as the guests of the Chinese government and deliberately poke sharp sticks in their eyes."

Now there's a fine statement of journalism's importance to NBC. I never thought of the Today Show as ever being devoted to journalism, however. They've always been more into the People Magazine brand of journalism; covering celebrities and exploiting sensational stories.

Nevertheless, that NBC and its parent, General Electric, would never ruffle the feathers of a vulture while sitting in its nest should be no surprise to anyone who knows how much of GE's profit every four years comes from the Olympics.

And thus go the ideals of journalism in today's commercial media.

[Daly]

Today show is a good name; little better than daily soaps; waste of time entertainment as best.
Are we to believe after years of genocide that suddenly they will discuss Darfur from afar - I challenge them to go to Darfur and shine the light - sitting on their arse is easy and normal for such a disgraceful play for relevance.

[pfc1369]

And are you considering a nice trip to the rubble that was once the ancient city of Baghdad?

I thought not.

[raker]

Bull. NBC has never reported on any of these things, and they sure aren't going to do it during their cash-cow the Olympics, and certainly not on The Toady Show. Get ready for stories that leave you with the impression that, while the human suffering is unfortunate, China is the victim in Darfur. Maybe for good measure, a scandalous story about Woody and Mia.

[marymansour]

The Today show is a joke. And as for Darfur, doesn't China have a hand in this terrible human tradgedy?

[sf101]

Get serious, G.E. Are we really supposed to believe that the show that's been Number One for Golly Gee Whiz, OVER 730 weeks (would it kill you to just say over 2 years?) will REALLY not be censored by the Chinese government. Does anybody remember Tienamin Square? Apparently not.

[shengirl]

Oh there'll be an amazing number of "technical problems" and glitches, just wait.

[pfc1369]

No.

But I remember Tian-an-men, Sky-peace-gate, or, more elegantly:

The Gate of Heavenly Peace.

[LetgoofmyEggo]

I think EVERYTHING from China should be banned. The government is a pack of animals. I don’t care how much money GW has borrowed from them, I feel US citizens should stand up and tell the world, this man does not stand for us. We have made enough mistakes and there is NO room for more..

[kassandrasduplex]

And the Chinese will likely never see an NBC feed of this. For the home audience Stateside only! Do American reporters run the risk of being BIG hypocrites when the report on another country's human rights abuses while their own country has recently murdered some 1.2 million innocent people in an illegal invasion?

[Mort]

All the news that's allowed to print!

[chinationreport]

http://blog.chinationreport.com/2008/08/03/what-do-you-want-from-us/#respond

'What do you want from us' by a 'Silent, Silent Chinese'
When we were labeled as Sick Man of Asia, we were called The Yellow Peril.
When we are billed to be the next Superpower, we are called The China Threat.

When our doors were closed, you launched the Opium War to open our market.
When we embrace Freed Trade, You blame us for Taking Away Your Jobs.

When we were falling apart, you marched in with your troops and wanted your “fair share”.
And you killed, burned, maimed and looted, we were broken into pieces.

When we tried Communism, you hated us for being Communists
When we embrace Capitalism, you hate us for being Capitalists.

When we reached a billion People, you said we were destroying the planet.
When we try limiting our numbers, you say it is human rights abuse.

When we were poor, you treated us like dogs.
When we loan you cash, you blame us for your debts.

When we build our industries, you called us polluters.
When we make your consumer goods, you blame us for global warming.

When we buy oil, you call that Exploitation and Genocide.
When you fight and invade for oil, you call that Liberation.

What do you really want from us?
Think hard first, then Answer…

http://blog.chinationreport.com/2008/08/03/what-do-you-want-from-us

[kassandrasduplex]

Bless you for your honesty and accuracy. Too many Americans are ignorant.

[JonStewart4President]

I call the abuses the Chinese government as shameful and wrong as I call the abuses of my government. I have protested and voted and worked against those that try to harm the environment, take away civil rights, torture people, start unjust wars and occupy other countries in my government here is the US. Why then should the Chinse be exempt from that? Because years ago "The West" did bad things to them? Granted. So what? It doesn't mean that justifies crappy things the Chinese do now against it's own citizens, people in the Sudan, the Tibetans or the environment or anything else.

So what do I want from the Chinese? The same thing I want from my government in the US and every government, one that gives it's people certain basic rights and dignity and doesn't impinge too much upon the rights of other countries and peoples. I don't expect perfection. No country has ever been perfect, no country will ever be perfect. But right now the Chinese DO have a lot to answer for and to try and make better and there should be world pressure against them, if they can't do it on their own. I also feel the US should be better, and if we muck up yet another election this November, than we deserve the downward spiral in our economy and standing in the world, as well. Others sucking, doesn't negate Chinese sucking or it's responsibility to stop sucking.

[Triangle1]

This article is a total waste of space. However, I couldn't help but notice that from a distance, Meredth Vieira is turning into Katie Couric! She's getting blonder and perkier. Meanwhile, Katie is morphing into Meredith, with her failing evening hard news stint. Maybe they can switch places. The evening news viewers would be able to take Meredith more seriously. And Katie had a great following with plenty of love when she hosted the Today Show. They should at least switch places for one week for a ratings stunt.