PRC GOVERNMENT POUNCES ON RARE "GOOD NEWS" MEDIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 005069

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2022
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KCUL SOCI CH
SUBJECT: PRC GOVERNMENT POUNCES ON RARE "GOOD NEWS" MEDIA
STORY

REF: A. BEIJING 24171 AND PREVIOUS


B. BEIJING 4236

Classified By: Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling. Reasons 1.4
(b/d).

Summary
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1. (C) Relieved to have good news to report, China's
media gave heavy coverage to the successful rescue of
69 miners from a flooded mine in Henan Province August
1-2. China Central Television (CCTV) pushed back
coverage of the 80th anniversary of the founding of
the People's Liberation Army to bring live pictures of
Henan Party Secretary Xu Guangchun greeting miners as
they emerged from their three-day ordeal. Henan TV
Station Vice President Wang Shaochun (protect) and
Henan Film, Radio and Television Bureau Deputy
Director Fei Yinpu (protect) told Poloff the live
coverage reflects a new trend in China's media, namely
shifting the focus away from the daily activities of
top-leaders and more toward the toils of common
people. Reviews of Xu Guangchun's mine-shaft photo op
are mixed, with some praising the leader's personal
involvement and others noting that the successful
rescue does not change the deplorable safety
conditions in China's mines. End Summary.

Rescue of 69 Miners a "Miracle"
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2. (C) The rescue of 69 coal miners in Henan Province
received heavy media coverage August 1-2 that, at
times, drowned out reports on the 80th anniversary of
the founding of the People's Liberation Army. The
official Xinhua news agency called the rescue a
"miracle." While live coverage of the miners
staggering out of their three-day entrapment was
broadcast nation-wide, Poloff was having dinner with
two high-level Henan propaganda officials: Henan Film,
Radio and Television Bureau Deputy Director Fei Yinpu
(protect) and Henan TV Station Vice President Wang
Shaochun (protect). During the broadcast Fei and Wang
offered a running commentary on the images and
analyzed how coverage of the mine disaster reflects
the media philosophy of Chinese President Hu Jintao
and Premier Wen Jiabao.

A Provincial Leader's Dream Photo-Op
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3. (C) With cameras rolling, Henan Provincial Party
Secretary Xu Guangchun, Governor Li Chengyu and

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national State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS)
Director Li Yizhong stood outside the coal mine
entrance August 1 patting backs and grasping the arms
of the exhausted, blackened and blindfolded workers
emerging from the mine shaft. According to the
Beijing News (Xinjing Bao),Xu shouted "you're safe!"
to one miner. A banner commemorating the rescue hung
above the mine entrance. As miners continued to
emerge in the background, each of the three top
officials gave individual interviews. Governor Li
thanked the Central Government for its continued
support of the rescue effort and Director Li praised
the "top to bottom" efforts of various departments.
At least one miner, still blindfolded and supported by
two colleagues, took questions from a CCTV reporter
and thanked all who had helped in the rescue.
(Embassy Comment: This camera-ready event was only
possible because it took rescuers three days to pump
out the flooded mine. Henan propaganda officials thus
had plenty of time to get the leaders in place, and
arranged in protocol order, before the miners finally
emerged.)


4. (C) Wang said the live CCTV special coverage of the
mine rescue is an example of government leaders taking
advantage of media opportunities to show their concern
for the people. Fei told Poloff that had the rescue
succeeded the previous evening, Henan Television was
prepared to interrupt its broadcast of the province's
showcase, internationally-broadcast beauty pageant to
go live to the mine. Fei indicated that because the
pageant was hosted by top provincial leaders, the
decision to preempt it had political significance.
Fei insisted that such an act would have never
occurred prior to the Hu-Wen administration. As if to
confirm Fei's point, after all the miners had safely
emerged, CCTV then switched to a news report on the

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PLA 80th Anniversary Celebration in Beijing, which
included both the current and previous Politburo
Standing Committee members. In the past, Wang said,
no program or news story, no matter how newsworthy,
would have taken priority over an event involving the
nation's top leaders.

News of the Common Man
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5. (C) Beyond the mine rescue, Fei and Wang offered
additional background on the Hu-Wen administration's
"media trend," which emphasizes the lives of common
people rather than the day-to-day activities of
Politburo members. This policy comes from the Central
Government, they said, but is welcomed by local news
outlets. Wang said the trend is closely tied to Hu
Jintao's "harmonious society" concept, which, in
Henan, primarily means increasing rural income through
urbanization (Ref A). Provincial Party Secretary Xu
Guangchun said at dinner with Poloff July 31 that his
number one priority as Henan's top leader is to "put
money in the pockets of the people." Henan
journalists are thus encouraged to focus on pocketbook
issues affecting ordinary people, Fei and Wang said.
In this sense, Wang added, the media is still the
"mouthpiece" (hou she) of the Party and Government.
Fei predicted that in the next decade, China's media
will increase its coverage of democracy issues in
China. The media, Fei observed, has already stepped
up reporting of grass roots democracy (e.g. village
elections).

Good News. Finally. But What About Mine Safety?
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6. (C) After months of negative news, from food safety
scandals (including the July 10 execution of the
former head of China's food and drug administration)
to revelations of slave labor in brick kilns (Ref B),
to corruption (the expulsion of former Shanghai Party
Secretary Chen Liangyu from the Communist Party was

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also big news this week),the mine rescue presented
China's media with a much needed feel-good story. The
high-level rescue made an impression on some. One
person remarked in the Party-controlled People's Daily
website's "Strong Nation Forum" chat room that the
personal involvement of top officials in the rescue
was impressive and may point to Government leaders
carrying out the Party "work style." But not everyone
was so impressed. Another post in the same chat room
scoffed at the "excessive self-promotion" of Henan
officials and expressed anger that a miner was forced
to grant an on-camera interview before being taken to
the hospital. The Beijing News also threw cold water
on things with an editorial chastising the mine
operators for continuing operations despite torrential
rains. Citing official figures released July 10 that
1,799 Chinese miners have died so far this year, the
editorial asked why successful mine rescues are so
rare in China. "We can breathe a sigh of relief for
the 69 miners," the paper says, "...but we can't be
happy with the national state of mine safety."
RANDT