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China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

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31–40 of 147 posts

Re: China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

#31
post #3

I wonder why people don't demand more non-profit news or why articles written by for-profit organizations are as trusted as they are. Why should people trust articles written by NyT over articles written by Google?

Because when people hear non-profit, they think NPR, which is wildly biased.

A true facts only news outlet is likely best, but provides little entertainment value.

Re: China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

#32
post #8
post #3

I wonder why people don't demand more non-profit news or why articles written by for-profit organizations are as trusted as they are. Why should people trust articles written by NyT over articles written by Google?

Google writes news articles? The issue is freedom of expression. If individuals are allowed to speak, write and disseminate information and opinion freely and own businesses, why can't they charge for it? Well, that's a news organisation. It's not that you necessarily trust any one individual publisher, it's that a range of views are freely represented in the press generally. The Chinese constitution used to guarante…

Well, that's a news organisation

No, that's a publisher. "News" describes the product, not the method of operation. Has the war on words been so successful that Americans univerally consider e.g. Cosmo "news" now?

Re: China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

#33
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think people in China don't know how to use VPNs and find information on the broader Internet? They do. It seems like you may be the one living in a bubble.

A VPN will get you a few research papers, and some insight into the world outside, but it won't change common attitudes within the country, which will be shaped by a controlled information system. Having a 'hole' in the information firewall can be useful for some things, but it's still a marginal effect. Most of the population won't have any use for it - they'll have no reason to question what's in the mainstream. Wh…

> Most of the population won't have any use for it - they'll have no reason to question what's in the mainstream.

Exactly. The point of information control in closed society is not to avoid the exposure of particular events, but to suppress entire lines of thought.

F.ex. How would you begin a conversation with a North Korean about democracy?

Their very concept of the idea, inasmuch as they are likely aware of it at all, is alien to your concept.

Which means that conversation has to start all the way underneath, at the underpinnings and philosophical bases of democracy. Which is a much more difficult and lengthy conversation.

Which is the entire point, because most people won't make the effort. Anymore so than the average American is capable of and interested in learning enough to have a nuanced conversation on the differences between Soviet and Chinese communism.

Re: China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

#35

On the flip side China purchased most Chinese language media in Australia some time back. https://www.smh.com.au/national/chinese-language-newspapers-...

Seems like China sees Australia as the front line in their battle with the West.

The recent nuclear submarine deal makes a lot more sense with that world view.

Re: China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

#36
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If Xi did not want power for himself he would not have removed the two-term limit to keep himself in power for life.

Because Communist countries tend to have very messy transfers of power, if not through continuity or annointment of a new leader by the old? And by messy I mean armed forces involvement and/or bodies in the streets.

China has had a decent track record, they are well organized. If Xi truly believed in China, then he would make it a priority to facilitate a smooth transition of power, and to enable the leader after their ascension. I really don't think this is much of an excuse for him.

The story is really simple - CCP wants to forbid any private control of information, that's it. It's not a new concept.

Re: China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

#37
post #3

I wonder why people don't demand more non-profit news or why articles written by for-profit organizations are as trusted as they are. Why should people trust articles written by NyT over articles written by Google?

At least theoretically, if customers actually valued accuracy, they would punish news organizations that were not accurate. A for profit newspaper would need to respond to the changing market. A not for profit newspaper could easily have a backer with other motivations, where they might be willing to sacrifice accuracy to push a particular agenda. I am not sure that the problem is the news. I do not think people real…

By that token snake oil in any shape or form shouldn't exist. Theoretically.

In any case, the eyeballs are the product. The advertisers are increasingly the true customers of media outlets. They don't even theoretically care about accuracy.

Re: China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

#38
post #3

I wonder why people don't demand more non-profit news or why articles written by for-profit organizations are as trusted as they are. Why should people trust articles written by NyT over articles written by Google?

Shouldn’t we rather forbid the centralization of news? I wouldn’t know how to do it, but AFP belongs 60% to the French government and is as bad an example as CNN or BBC.

Shouldn’t news be parcelled like AT&T and centralization systematically unweeded, for it is far more dangerous than centralization in energy or internet providers. Then, when there are thousands of small information providers, we can see bottom-up what actually interests people, rather than beating up an idea from the top-down until people think it’s interesting.

Re: China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

#39
post #5
post #3

I wonder why people don't demand more non-profit news or why articles written by for-profit organizations are as trusted as they are. Why should people trust articles written by NyT over articles written by Google?

What does non-profit news look like? A few rich people starting non-profit and making news might not be very trustworthy. I guess you mean a wide group of donors. But non-profits have a lot of trouble raising money without controversy. Imagine trying to solicit donations when every other story alienates half the donors. And it doesn't really answer a lot of the hard questions. Who is going to actually write the artic…

There’s NPR/PBS and it’s fantastic.

Re: China proposes prohibiting private investment in news service sector

#40
post #32
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google writes news articles? The issue is freedom of expression. If individuals are allowed to speak, write and disseminate information and opinion freely and own businesses, why can't they charge for it? Well, that's a news organisation. It's not that you necessarily trust any one individual publisher, it's that a range of views are freely represented in the press generally. The Chinese constitution used to guarante…

Well, that's a news organisation No, that's a publisher. "News" describes the product, not the method of operation. Has the war on words been so successful that Americans univerally consider e.g. Cosmo "news" now?

That seems unnecessarily pedantic and argumentative, to be honest. News is information, right? Anyway I'm a Brit.
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